Asgardian Princess: Little stories
by readpink
Summary: Compilation of some stories that connect my previous story AP: Not 6 but 7? with a third installment. Rated M just to be sure. Eydís has a lot going on on her life while Atlantis is being rebuilt. She has become a guardian, she is becoming a new princess and there are quite some that don't like the idea.
1. Kraft

I think this goes very well with the continuation of the story as a whole and I really liked how it all began. Let me know what you think. :)

* * *

"Please let me go", Eydís pleaded in quite a demanding tone.

"Are you sure?", said the old man doing yoga.

"Please Preston, this is the least I could do for her. I was unable to protect her then, now please let me do this one last thing for her".

Preston Whitmore had been first hand witness of many miracles and strange things. He had been there when the Shepherd's Journal had been found. He had been at the dock to receive the survivors of the enterprise. He had been handed a magical crystal that made him feel 20 years younger and was said to be a very special gift from the legendary city. He had been confided that Asgard, an apparently nonexistent realm but for the old norse, was actually very real. He had been told that many of the mythology's stories were wrong and even incomplete as the folklore happened to have forgotten about certain Asgardian Princess, youngest daughter of Odin. He had also been filled in with the news that such woman had been adopted by the All-Father and his wife but was in reality the second daughter of the Atlantean King. It had been a whole lot to digest. Still, nothing prepared him for what happened exactly 24 hours after the crew had arrived.

A girl with silver hair appeared at his front door after a huge tornado of light had descended upon his lawn. The young woman came out of it, dressed in some loose, bronze-colored trousers that let her ankles visible; a pair of dark brown sandals; and a cream-colored blouse with flutter sleeves and that was tugged in the trousers. If he hadn't seen the thing himself as well as the girl's crystal he might have claimed insanity or a too crazy dream. She claimed to be the girl from the crew's stories so Mr. Whitmore let her into his house.

The old man had asked if it was ok with the girl if he did his yoga routine while she talked about whatever matter she had in mind. Not knowing what he was really talking about, she accepted though the eccentric millionaire noticed her blush when he began and laughed to himself.

"Have you told the families of the fallen?", was the first thing she asked after introductions were properly spoken.

"Uhm, I do believe that it's been taken care of. Why do you ask?"

"I will be very blunt. Has the family of Alice Kraft been notified?", the serious countenance of the young royal was almost unreadable but there was a gleam of sadness in her eyes.

"Hmph, the name doesn't sound familiar but if you ask I can guess that she was part of the expedition".

The Princess nodded.

"Princess Eydís I don't have all the files with me but I can always call to the main office and get you that information if you wish", the old man offered.

"I would appreciate it immensely", she answered with a soft tone and a small smile on her lips.

Mr. Whitmore made a few phone calls, having made a pause from his daily exercise. Eydís looking at his every move with curiosity. Making the exception on her clothes, she gave off a powerful vibe of regalness. The way she spoke, sat and even moved was so measured, so proper that, at the beginning, the man wasn't really sure of how to address her. Nonetheless, by the time he had hung up the phone he had realized that it was actually pretty easy to speak to her and that she hardly took anything the ill way unless intended (he deduced).

"Alright, I got what you asked for. Apparently, her family hasn't been notified yet. A special division of the office is taking care of communicating the news. A group travels from state to state to deliver personally the passing of their loved ones", he communicated as he scribbled something on a paper.

"That is a very honorable thing to do Preston".

To the old man it was very weird that someone that looked so much younger than him called him by his given name but he let it go.

"I owe her this. Please, do tell me where I can find her sister Debbie", she pleaded.

"If you're so sure, my secretary said that they live in a really small town in North Dakota called Medora. It is quite far from here but I can arrange you passage from here on railroad to Chicago. You would then have to travel all the way to La Crosse station. After that, you would have to take the North Pacific Rail Road that will eventually take you to Medora", he said thoughtfully but added, "Although I could also lend you one of my flying devices to go there. It would certainly take less time and would be my absolute pleasure".

"What is the estimate time for either options?"

"For the first it could take about a week. The second option it might take two or three days due to the fuel limit capacity. This machines are still not meant to travel that far", he tried to give an estimation as well as a bit of humor to the situation.

Eydís fell silent for a moment, breaking eye contact while she focused all the power of her glare at the floor, considering the options. Mr. Whitmore was not entirely sure what to think of that serious face. Did she agree with the options? Was she satisfied? Why the interest on this particular girl? When Eydís finally looked up she showed the old man another smile, sweet but sad.

"I believe my transportation method is much faster than yours but I do appreciate the offer. Do you have any maps here so you can show me with more accuracy where shall I go?"

"Of course".

The millionaire guided them through a corridor until he stopped by a door and held it open for the Princess. The interior of this room was nothing like the last (where the aquarium with the big fish was one of the main attractions). This was a much smaller room with some book shelves and a large wooden table.

From a black cylinder he took one scroll, placing it on the table. He took two heavy weights that had the shape of elephants and opened the scroll to reveal a bright colored map of the United States. It was very detailed showing all the landscapes and bodies of water as well as a lot of the names of cities and towns at each state. Eydís was surprised but comparing it to one of Loki's maps it was very simple. She smiled.

"Over here", the man pointed. "Almost on the border with Montana".

"Thank you Preston for allowing me this honor", Eydís said softly looking at her host.

"Don't mention it but tell me, what's your interest with this particular young woman's family?"

Eydís seemed to doubt a little as the sadness in her eyes grew.

"When I boarded the ship and, consequently, the underwater ship, Alice was one of the first people I got connected with. It was only a moment really but, besides Milo, she was the only other person I spoke to before we were attacked. She told me about herself, her family and confided a great fear of hers in me. I would have really liked to get to know her more but due to my weakness, she perished", she paused. "If I can, I would like to take a final message to her sister in Alice's stead".

There was resolution on her eyes, guilt too but the resolution was stronger. Mr. Whitmore understood and nodded.

"If that's the case, I wish you all the luck in the world. Just one little thing before you go", she seemed a little confused but kept quiet. "If your arrival method involves that light tunnel, I would suggest that you arrive at the outskirts of the place so you won't attract too much attention to yourself".

The man's eyes twinkled with a little mischief as he smiled knowingly so Eyídis laughed lightly. He was right. Perhaps even a disguise would be wise to consider. A moment later, the man cheered again and began speaking joyfully as he put away the map.

"So, are you staying for the night?".

"No Preston, I shall depart immediately. I do thank you for your hospitality", she answered quickly.

"Alright, then let me show you to the door". As they walked he continued talking, "I would like you to tell the Kraft family that they will receive a compensation for their loss. I know it won't bring their loved one back but it will ease whatever financial problem they might have".

"No", simple, short and authoritarian yet educated and in a very non-threatening voice was the answer. "I would like to take care of that matter as well. I will look after her family until my debt has been repaid".

Though, Eydís' serious face and voice could be quite enough to silence the Council itself, the rich industrialist still asked, "Why?"

"A life for a life" _,_ was all she said.

They reached the marked spot by Eydís' arrival, all farewells already having been said between them. Mr. Whitmore gave the royal the piece of paper and told her it was the address of the parents. She nodded and thanked deeply. Eydís had liked the man a lot. He was very funny as well as smart. He had also been very useful and, in a way, reminded her of her fathers (at least physically).

"Heimdall", she said looking at the sky, "you saw where I need to go. Please take me there"

Mr. Whitmore was a little surprised by her speaking to the sky, but not as much as the light tunnel descended once again and wrapped around the girl. Eydís waved one last time and was gone. The old man waved back, remaining at the spot for several minutes after the tunnel disappeared.

As for the Princess, she traveled at the speed of light and, as suggested landed a little out of the town among a handful of trees that gave her some privacy. It was still before evening so she guessed she had more time to look for the family as she didn't know her surroundings. But first thing was first. Her appearance. True, it was not her forte at all, it was Loki's but she had to manage what little she could do. Considering her hair would be a huge trouble, she opted to turn it into an advantage. She summoned her magic, focused and said the spell:

" _Fláráðr_ _rmr_ "

A soft blue glow traveled from the top of her head all the way to her feet leaving behind wrinkled skin, eyes of a hazel color and even a different voice. Eydís was pleased with the look. It would definitely serve her purpose. Next thing were the clothes. Ignoring how much she hated the uniform, she summoned an attire identical to the one she had worn when she first boarded the ship. Finally, she began walking towards the little town.

It was so small and had so little habitants that there was a lot of space between each house but she went straight to the door of the first building she saw. It was a small, timber house. Smoke came out of the chimney so Eydís assumed there was someone in. She knocked three times at the door and waited.

"I'm coming!", was the response on the other side. Almost instantly, the door swung open to reveal a grown woman with a child on her arms. She was evidently stunned to see an old lady, dressed in military fashion at her door. "Yes? How can I help you?"

"Good day lovely lady. Could you please guide me in the right direction? I shall leave immediately after", Eydís replied showing the piece of paper to the lady.

"Uhm… I don't know the address. We don't really use them around here", she answered in an apologetic tone but added, "But who are you looking for? I might know them".

"The Kraft family".

That seemed to ring a bell on the woman's mind. She smiled. "Oh! The Krafts! Sure. I know them. You go down the road and the third house you encounter on your right. Easy".

"Thank you very much good lady", was the reply.

Eydís was already leaving when the woman called out, "Are they in trouble?"

The royal froze but managed to look back with a smile and answered, "Of course not".

The Princess began walking down the road as instructed thinking how in Odin's name she was going to be able to find Debbie. She thought it difficult to ask the parents for the other daughter's whereabouts when she came bearing such ill tidings. A part of her wanted to give up and run away but she knew this was her punishment for having failed Alice so she kept moving forwards until she found the right house.

On the outside it looked a lot like the first house. White, with two floors but still small (in her eyes, considering she was used to live in a castle), with a porch and a vast garden. The property was demarcated by some posts and wire but nothing else really. On the fence, next to the gate door there was a mailbox on which the family name 'Kraft' could be read. Eydís couldn't move past the gate for a minute until she drew in a deep breath and finally got in the property. She walked resolutely to the door and knocked twice the instant she reached it, fearful of cowering in the end.

The door opened and Eydís almost gasped loudly at the vision in front of her. Standing on the doorway was a woman on her mid-twenties, light-brown hair tied in a lower ponytail, freckles on her pointy nose and quite a big belly. This had to be Debbie, Alice's younger sister. They were almost identical but for some minorities like the eye color for while Alice's eyes had been amberish, Debbie's were more of an olive-green tone.

On the other hand, the soon-to-be mom had her face drained of any color the moment she noticed the uniform. She had been wishing so hard, praying so hard for her big sister's return. A hand of hers went directly to her mouth as the other grasped her belly, tears already pooling in her eyes. Eydís was confused, she hadn't even spoken yet but deduced it had something to do with her looks that gave it away. After all, when a warrior fell on battle away from home, the family would be notified by a royal guard and then a ceremony would take place as a memorial. That might have been it, for the pregnant woman fell almost to her knees as she began to wail loudly, though the sound was a bit muffled by her hand. Eydís grasped her on time and held her up.

"Who is it darling?", the voice of an older woman came from another room. When said person poked her head out and saw the scene she too began crying. Eydís was unable to speak. The whole speech she had thought about and prepared for days went to the trash. She couldn't help the knot on her throat but she managed to keep her eyes from getting teary.

The Princess took a better hold of Debbie and practically carried her to the nearest room which happened to be the living room. She left the poor girl sitting there while she went to close the door and to retrieve the mother. Having them both embracing tightly, the royal remained standing, waiting patiently. A minute went by, then two, three. Finally, Debbie looked up.

"How?".

Eydís had figured that the straight truth would be a little too much so she went on with the practiced story. None of it was a lie but it wasn't the whole truth either.

"The reports came yesterday. The underwater ship she boarded was attacked. Almost everyone made it to the smaller underwater ships but when the attacker noticed, he bent on destroying most of the little containers", she paused. "The expedition began with 200 men and women. After the attack, less than half made it and only a handful actually came back".

"Who attacked them? What could have possibly attack you underwater?", there was rage in her voice.

"Forgive me, I do not have that information", Eydís lied.

The other was about to retort again but the mother intervened.

"It doesn't matter", she said.

"DOESN'T MATTER!?", Debbie screeched.

"No. No matter how, she's gone. Knowing won't bring her back", was the mother's soft reply.

Those words deflated the younger sister instantly and they embraced once again.

"I came here to tell you something else. I fully understand that this will, in no way, make up for your loss but,… there is a fund that my patron wishes for you to accept. It has come to my understanding that my patron would like to remain anonymous but will keep constant contact with you. The money will be available for you, mother of Alice as well as you lady Debbie. Anything you might ever need you need just to ask for it".

Said women remained quiet but nodded, eyes low.

"First your dad passes away. Then your husband leaves for the mines in Dickinson. Now we are told that we have lost Alice on her Godforsaken adventure", the mother covered her mouth with her hand.

"I am truly sorry", Eydís said, understanding dawning on her.

"You don't have to be. It's not your fault to bring the news", the older lady said.

 _Yes, it is my fault_ , the Princess thought. "If I may ask, when did your husband passed away?"

"About a week after Alice left. He had been sick for some time. That's why Alice took the job in the first place. She said that if all went well, once she came back everything would be better", Debbie sniffed, "but now dad is gone and Alice's sacrifice was in vain", she finished with a cracking voice and began sobbing loudly, her mother following closely after.

"I will not tell you not to weep, but I will tell you to keep hoping. Hope that your beloved will come back to you, honor your sister's choice and remember your father fondly. That way you will be able to eventually move on. There is a life inside you, brand new that needs you just as much as your mother needs you. You can not do a thing for those who have left but there is not enough life to do something for those who are still here. That is my advice to you. I beg you consider it".

Both women looked a little startled but stopped sobbing so violently.

"I should go now. Once more, I am truly sorry for your loss but my patron will keep in contact", the visitor began walking to the living room's threshold. "Oh, there was one last thing", she turned to the women, "As members of the expedition, every person was asked to leave a last message for their loved ones should the worst occur. This were the words of Alice: 'My little sister Debbie married last spring and is expecting her first child. She says she hopes it's a boy. I think that if the baby is a boy, he should be named Samuel not Gavin like she so wants but it is her child, not mine.'".

Slowly, a smile crept on the lips of the soon-to-be mom, "She did mention that once or twice", she rubbed her belly, "So, what do you think sunshine? Does Samuel Baker sounds better to you?". The woman felt a little kick on her hand, "Ha ha, Samuel it is then. My little Sammy".

Eydís looked at the tenderness on the two mothers' faces. Young and old were both beyond joyful to have the small child on its way. The Princess observed and let that small happiness be a balm to her wounded heart as well. She would help the mothers anyway she could and take full responsibility of the yet to be born child. That she vowed to everything she considered divine.

* * *

Glossary:

Fláráðr rmr: Deceitful appearance


	2. Nisse

Letter styles' glossary.

 _Italics: memory_

"Inverse handwriting with quotation marks": correspondence

* * *

 **Nisse**

"Mommy! Mommy! Look! There's a new one!", the little 4-year-old boy dragged his poor mother to the mailbox.

"Slow down Sam, I see it", said woman managed to say while pulling her hand from the boy's grasp. She opened the container while the little one bounced up and down next to her. Indeed, there was a letter there with a package.

In the beginning, these packages would make her really uncomfortable, especially since the very first one had arrived. It had been a miracle that her mother didn't pass out that day.

 _Shortly after the old lady's visit, they had gone out for a stroll. They both needed to clear their minds and ease their grieving hearts. Debbie knew that many payments had to be done (that talk having taken place the night before during dinner) but she simply couldn't bring herself to ask for the money to the anonymous patron, mainly because neither knew how to contact this person and, second, because accepting the money would be accepting that Alice was dead. Debbie wasn't sure she was ready to admit that just yet._

 _On the other hand, Joseph still hadn't send any money they could use and the situation was precarious. Worst case scenario, the bank would take away her mother's house on the next few days. The house that had been everything to her, that held all her childhood memories, happy, sad, dramatic, romantic. A house where she would have loved to see her son run around, driving his grandparents crazy with love. It was all there and they would lose it if nothing short from a miracle occurred. It was discouraging._

 _Both women arrived at the old, dear house and were about to go through the gate when they noticed the mailbox. There was correspondence, which was very weird considering it was a Sunday afternoon. Debbie poked in and saw an envelope. It had no return address but the paper felt a little too thick and formal. Curious. She would open it once they got in. Nevertheless, on the porch, right in front of the door there was a package as well, wrapped in a similar paper as the envelope, and strapped with a pretty cord, so they assumed it was sent by the same person._

 _Debbie left the letter on the table of the living room while her mom adjusted the package on her lap as she sat on one of the couches. The young one left the room for a moment. Mrs. Kraft, having nothing better to do, decided it was as good a moment as any to open the package so she untied the cord, carelessly undoing the folds that kept the shape of the package. Then it happened. From the now unfolded paper, bills of money began to practically dripp. It was so much money that it pooled at the older lady's feet. She was unable to do anything but gasp and widen her eyes._

 _Debbie, having come back from the kitchen saw the whole thing. This was more money she had ever seen in all her life so she almost leaped forwards for the letter. With shaking hands she managed to open the envelope and start the tortuous reading. Even though the handwriting was gorgeous, there were so many weird words that it took her a little while to fully understand the message. She had been lucky of having been taught the basics of reading and writing by an old lady that used to come every weekend to a house across the river so she knew the letters but was still difficult to understand. It read:_

"Greetings Lady Kraft and Lady Baker,

I hereby introduce myself somehow properly and pledge my services to you. For now I would like to remain anonymous but a time shall come when I present myself to you personally or your kin. Please, do be patient with me in this respect. I have sent some money to ease your life for the rest of the month. If by some reason you need some more or anything else please do ask I will remain on the lookout for your well being.

Yours faithfully,

E.

P.S.: I would suggest you get a bigger iron box for the correspondence but it is up to you whether or not you take the advice."

" _Th… this is so much", Mrs. Kraft finally said. Debbie just nodded._

" _Well", Debbie paused, "we did kind of pray for a miracle"._

Looking back at the memory, the way they reacted had actually been very funny but it had all just been too sudden. Three months later her baby was born. To be exact Sam came to the world on January 6, 1915 and the monthly correspondence still kept coming but never had the packages contained as much as the first one especially since her dear Joseph came back home after the war. It seemed to bother him to no end that they had to depend on some anonymous fellow to have an income but that was a different story.

The little boy had been very happy when he discovered a couple of days back that there was someone looking after them. It seemed to him that it was an angel of some kind. He had let it slip once or twice at the church the week before, earning him some hard looks on his father's account. Not two days later there had been a small note directed specifically to him saying:

" _My dearest Samuel:_

 _I thank your kind words. I know it is a great compliment coming from you but I am no angel. Rather than an angel, think of me as nisse._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _E."_

This had caused a great uproar in the house among the adults. How their patron managed to know such little details and their exact troubles helping them on time verged on terrifying. Nonetheless, to the boy there was only one true question: What was a nisee? He asked all the grown ups he knew but none could give him the answer.

The next week, after the church service, they had gone straight back home except for Mr. Baker. Debbie knew that her husband needed some time off and she let it go. They had been at the house, cleaning Sam's bedroom when the little one noticed the mailbox's flag up. His eyes had sparkled like stars and he had screamed for his mom's attention.

Now that they had gotten there, the boy held his hands out to receive the box. It was definitely addressed to him but the young mother knew better than to give the package to her son immediately so she carried both things back to the house.

"Wait Sam. Remember, we should always read the letter first. Understood young man?", she arched an eyebrow.

"Yes mommy".

Debbie nodded once while they sat on the couch and opened the letter. She was truly relieved that the use of flamboyant words had diminished so she had less explaining to do to her boy but, secretly, she was happy that she could learn something new with each piece of paper. Debbie began reading out loud:

" _My dearest Samuel,_

 _It has come to my attention that you know not what a nisse is so I have sent you a little present to satisfy your curiosity. I have taken the liberty of translating it, for I could not find the book in english. I also hope that either parent of yours makes haste and reads it to you. I remember when I was more or less your age. I loved to hear my mother read to me before I went to bed. Her voice always a beautiful lullaby to drift into the realm of dreams for me. I am aware that it is not your name day, nor will it be for almost another month but I hope you like the book._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _E."_

The package on Debbie's lap was taken by the boy, who held it up with a serious face before opening it very carefully. Inside there was a small book bound in soft, dark brown leather that read in beautiful silver letters 'The Nisse'. "Mommy," he looked up brushing his little hands over the new leather, "can you read it to me?".

Debbie looked at her child lovingly. "Of course Sammy". She took the book form his tiny hands and opened it on the first page. She was astounded. The paper was of excellent quality, she could tell but what made her eyes go wide were the beautiful drawings that covered most of the pages leaving small paragraphs (handwritten with the same marvelous calligraphy of the letters) for her to read to Sam. The pages were so beautiful and well done that she thought of the whole book as a work of art and so she began to read, showing her boy the pretty pictures on every page. Sam snuggled at her side and, before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.


	3. Bedtime stories

A/N: This particular format is for letters alone. :)

A/N2: Since this is a very short passage, I will update a second little story today. ;D

* * *

" _Dec. 4, 1919._

 _Dear Nisse:_

 _I have asked mommy to write this letter for me exactly as I say it until I learn how to read and write myself. She said yes so I will keep on saying out loud what I think. I liked the story very much. I ask my mommy to read it to me before I go to sleep but she always says 'After you say your prayers'. I do think you are like the nisse and since I don't know your name, can I call you Nisse?_

 _Daddy was very surprised when he saw the book. He asked where I had gotten it because it was just so pretty. I said: 'Daddy, Nisse sent it!'. He didn't understand at first but then I began telling him the story of the family and the nisse that lived in their barn. He looked angry as I told him the story but mommy says he was only m… me… di… tating it. Which, according to mommy means he was thinking about the story so he could like it in the end._

 _I have a question, what other stories did your mom used to tell you? Can you share them with me? Please, pretty please. I have another question, did you make the drawings as well? My mommy and granny liked them very much. Who taught you how? I would really really like to learn how to do this but mommy says I should start with reading and writing so I want to start right away but granny says there are no good teachers here in Medora and that I might need to go to Dickinson to have a better education. I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave mommy and daddy and granny alone._

 _Anyways, I would really like to hear from you soon,_

 _Sammy"._


	4. Christmas gifts

" _December 25th, 1919._

 _To the Kraft and Baker families:_

 _I would like to wish you, what you people call, a Happy Christmas once again. Yet another year has gone by and so many things have happened. I really hope that the presents are of your liking. I am afraid I had not as much time as I desired to prepare a significant gift for each one of you but please, do tell me so I might be able to correct my mistake. At this point I expect that some of you have already unwrapped the gifts so I will proceed to explain them to you._

 _To Lady Kraft, it has come to my attention that you enjoyed last year's present so I have sent you some of the best wools I could find so you can weave your beautiful pieces of garment with the loom. I have taken into consideration the kind of weather you have so I believe that this will keep you warm. Also, I have taken the liberty of sending some colors that I realized were not available in Medora or its surroundings. Feel free to ask for more if you run out of any particular color or would like to change it._

 _To Debbie Baker, on a similar fashion as last year, I have sent you some new flower seeds for your garden. If I may, I would like to point out that you have a really natural talent with this fine art. Use it, not only will you feel better with the scent of freshly removed earth and the sensation of soft dirt on your hands but it will also bring you peace of mind and a feeling of achievement once the flowers bloom. So I expect this year's snapdragons surpass last year's petunias. Look them up on the book I gave you three years ago to help you grow them._

 _To Joseph Baker, since this is only the second year gifting you, and considering last year's gift was absolutely inappropriate (I once again apologize for sending that sword), this year I have thought hard on the matter for very long. Finally, I came to the conclusion that this would be a much better gift. Inside that vial, there is special potion that our best healer made primarily for our warriors. She explained to me that sometimes, warriors come back home a little broken, for the horrors of war are too much to bear alone. This horrors can mostly come at night in the form of bad dreams which will subsequently affect us during the rest of the day. Therefore, she worked very hard to create this potion. She calls it_ dæll draumr _, which could be roughly translated into gentle dreams. Pour two drops of this on a cup of tea or a glass of water before you go to sleep if only for one night. You can keep using them afterwards if you like the results. If not, you can still keep it._

 _To young Samuel, I have sent you some of my favorite childhood stories that my mother used to read to me. Take this as a yes to the third question you asked me on your previous letter. To your fourth question, the answer is yes as well, I did the drawings, that is mainly why it took me so long to deliver it to you. Finally, to answer the last question it is very simple really. My mother taught me and, although I agree with your own mother that you should know how to read and write, I believe that making art a pastime during your free hours can make up for it. Try. It would be exciting for me to see you grow in this aspect._

 _With this I conclude my explanation of the presents reiterating my congratulations on your holiday. Happy Christmas._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse._

 _P.S.: Samuel, take this as an affirmation to your very first question. It is fine if you call me by this name._

 _P.S.2: It is not my way to write more than one postscript but I think this letter required it. Samuel, be not afraid. I am sure that a solution will present itself when you least expect it to, so keep your eyes open for the signs._

 _P.S.3: This is the last, I give you my word. I loved the present. Thank you Samuel."_


	5. Jewel seekers

A/N: Ok, so this story was completely unexpected and unplanned but I really liked the outcome of it. In the beginning, this was going to be so much shorter because it was the introduction to the next little story but I felt like Eydís needed some interaction with different characters. Therefore I made this a little longer in the end and decided to give it its own space. Hope you like it as well.

A/N2: I wrote this long before I went to watch Thor:Ragnarok.

* * *

As soon as Eydís returned from the Kraft's house, she stormed into to the All-Father's study and asked permission to take a sack of gold and jewels and send it at once to the poor women. Odin had been a little dumbfound the first three seconds but then, his countenance melted into a soft smile.

"My dear child, are you sure they would gladly receive this present from you?"

"They need it".

"And yet you have not answered my question".

Eydís looked down, thoughtful. It wasn't common to see her in such a haste making rash decisions without thinking things through. So Odin waited patiently, observing every little reaction on his daughter until realization dawn on her features.

"No", she answered quietly. Odin nodded.

"Take a jewel or two little star and go to Preston. Ask for his aide. I do believe he is quite the right person to help you learn about Midgard's current economic system. Do you not agree?", Eydís agreed. Her asgardian father was right, as always.

Thus, on she went to one of the many vaults in the palace much more calm now. It was still a little strange the looks she got from some people. Them not used to her hair color yet. To be honest, it was still a bit strange to look at herself in the mirror and see her new appearance. The face-paint had washed away a few days after her formal introduction to the court but it was still weird.

"Eydís!", a male voice called out. She looked in the direction of the person.

"Good day Fandral. What brings you to this part of the castle today?", she smiled to her old friend.

"But why, a beautiful lady of course".

"Lady? I do not remember encountering any other woman walking by", she tried to think hard whether or not she had missed someone on her way here. She had passed the last serving girl about five corridors ago.

"Do you really not know Eydís?", Fandral raised an eyebrow. "It is you I am talking about".

"Me?", this was the very first time he had openly flirted with her so she was very surprised. "Oh my Lord. Your words make me blush", her voice sounded a little higher pitched. She also held her face with both hands and looked away from the handsome man.

"But it is the truth beautiful maiden. I lie you not", he answered, stopping their pace and, gently, turning her face to his so they could look at each other.

"How could you call me beautiful when I got this looks?", her eyes still couldn't meet his.

"Your silver hair reminds me of starlight. How could I not think it beautiful?", he said caressing it slightly with his free hand.

"Oh my Lord, you should stop it right away. What if someone overhears us?", she used her hands to push slightly away from the young man, the second letting go of ther face.

"Let them hear, for I have kept quiet too long", he stepped in front of Eydís, taking her hands on his own. "You have grown up to be an exotic beauty beyond any man's dreams. I would gladly make you mine if you only said yes".

"But, my Lord, you are forgetting an important detail", she made a small pause finally looking up, "well, two. My brothers would never let this be. Their little sister and one of their best friends. I am afraid that your life would be in danger shall we continue this course of action and I do not know whether my heart would be able to bare it or not". Eydís' eyes became watery as she looked into Fandral's bright blue eyes.

They were frozen in the moment.

Suddenly, Fandral cracked, his laughter loud and resonating on every wall of the hall. Eydís knew that she had won the game this time and smirked.

"I yield, I yield. When did you become so good at this?", he joked as they kept going.

"I guess most of it I learned from observing your interactions with other maidens and a little more from Loki. Still you had never tried to play this game with me before. It is quite entertaining", she said merrily. "But do tell me, what is it that you are doing here, truly?"

"Truly, I could not bear the sight of a friend in such a gloomy mood on a beautiful day like this".

Fandral, as well as the other two Warriors Three and Lady Sif had heard some ugly gossiping and more than improper words from some people. Specially from young maidens that were on marriage age and men. As the one that liked social gatherings and nightlife the most, Fandral had heard more than his fair share. He could identify the jealousy on the women's words as well as the coarse desire from the men. It bothered him immensely that the view of his friend and Princess had changed so drastically over the few weeks that she had been back.

Being completely aware what could probably happen should any of the two Princes know what was happening he took matters in his hands whenever he could. He did what he did best and sweet talked the girls out of their gossip, claiming that doing so was highly unattractive to men and emphasized how each maiden's beauty was unique and desirable as well. Men were a little harder to convince with such soft methods so he had ended making over two dozen threats in the last two weeks. It was exhausting but it was worth it.

Ever since the meeting with the council, Eydís had been very busy, or so she claimed, going and coming to and from Midgard constantly and attending several meetings with some particular members of the court. In his eyes, her workload had increased exponentially, he would dare say even more than her brothers'. She looked fatigued but empowered by some mysterious force. It had been by chance that he saw her walking rapidly towards the vault's wing so he decided to join her. It had been a while since they had spent some time together.

To him, it had seemed that Eydís not only looked tired but sad as well. He hadn't thought really before simulating to flirt with her so he could cheer her up. Fandral had never done it before mainly because he still thought of her as a child, being so much younger than him, but her reactions had made him doubt for a moment there. The ease with which she had managed to cut him short in such a cute and enchanting way made him feel sorry (for the first time) for the two older brothers because when she decided that spring had finally come to her life, there would be no stopping her. He also felt sorry for the fools that would try in vain to win her favor without really knowing her. It would be fun to see.

"I thank you my friend. Your charming way has worked like magic", she smiled as they arrived at the first vault. "Well, here it is". She opened the door and went in, holding it open for her friend. Being part of the royal family allowed her to access any room in the castle but, if uninvited, no one else could open the vaults' doors. That's why there wasn't really a need for many guards to take care of this part of the palace. "Father told me to take one or two jewels for my purposes, so, pick one please".

They walked along the piles of treasure hoarded in the first vault and looked for some gems of considerable size. After about twenty minutes, Fandral found a pink diamond the size of a peach and handed it to her. She took an alexandrite the size of a walnut and placed both gemstones in a small, silk bag satisfied with their findings.

Eydís and Fandral walked back to the stables, joking and talking animatedly.

"So, where to Princess?", he asked.

"I need to get to the Bifrost once again. There is unfinished business I left in Midgard that can not wait".

"I see. Do your brothers know?".

"Well, they know I am rather busy at the moment but I would like you to please tell them that I will be back soon and that I love them".

Fandral bid her farewell and waved at her. He definitely needed to find the brothers before they got angry at him for not passing on the message immediately. He giggled and pitied once more the poor bastard that dared play with the Princess heart.


	6. Her teacher

A/N: I'm so so so so sorry for the late update. I had lots of things going on this weekend and I forgot to upload this on Friday. Again, sorry.

A/N2: I thought that more interaction between these two was necessary not just for the sake of it but also to make things a bit clearer for the next chap. Thanks for all of you people who read my story. I hope you like it so far.

* * *

Preston Whitmore did a little more than prevent possible homicide at the Kraft's. Just by looking at the gems he deduced they were worth millions. The pink diamond alone was so rare and big that he suspected few people would actually be able to pay for it. The other one, the alexandrite was even more uncommon and without an expert, he didn't want to call out a price.

"I see your trip back home was… fruitful", he said a little doubtful.

"I am truly sorry to keep bothering you but I am in need of aidance. My father made the right observation that I know nothing about how the economy works in this realm. Would you care to teach me?", she asked with a worried look on her face.

"Of course I wouldn't mind!", the man said enthusiastically. "It's been years since I had a pupil. Believe me, it would be my honor". He bowed.

Eydís smiled happily. "In that case, I believe we can start as soon as I take these to the Kraft ladies", the Princess held the bag at the level of her face to make her point.

"Eh… hum… uhm…", Mr. Whitmore caught Eydís' attention. "Eydís, may I call you by your name?", the Princess blinked for a moment but she nodded in consent, "I think this would be the perfect time to start your financial education. Lesson number 1: currency. You need to make sure that these ladies are able to find a buyer for such jewels. As I see it, I really doubt that in a town as small as Medora there's any hope to find such buyer. It might even be dangerous for them to have the gems at their house".

Eydís listened intently, waiting for the next thing that would come out of the millionaire's mouth.

"Why don't we give Mole a call, he will definitely know the true worth of the stones and then we can look for a buyer. I know several people that might be interested in amazing pieces like this in their private collections".

The Princess smiled and nodded again. It was a plan though she was a little anguished by the time they would lose with the wait. Upon leaving, Heimdall had made the comment that the women weren't doing good financially. There were many debts accumulated and a very close by deadline. It was very important for them to get the money but being hasty had never proved to be the wisest choice. Mr. Whitmore was right, they needed the cash, not the gems.

There was yet another matter that had been around her mind for a couple of hours now. She needed to find the best solution for her transportation issues. As much as she loved the Bifrost's speed, she had to admit it was not the stealthiest way to travel by. Not only the sight but the hearing sense was overstimulated with every come and go and, being honest, someone was eventually going to notice the burning marks on the ground. There was no problem on The Gate (the small, volcanic island that connected to Atlantis to the upper world) but surely, North Dakota and Washington D.C., were much more populated places with next to no-knowledge of different realms and the like. If she was going to be around Mr. Whitmore and the Krafts with more frequency, she needed to find a solution to her predicament.

As she thought about this, the rich, old man made the call, hanging up after a few minutes. "Well, good news, he is close by. Bad news, he can only come to check on the jewels the day after tomorrow. Can you wait that long?".

Eydís scrunched her nose a little. "It is not ideal but it will work. Would it be acceptable to ask for those lessons to begin at once?"

"In that case, follow me Eydís".

They went from one of the living rooms to the level below and into the library. It was quite big but Eydís couldn't help but compare it to Asgard's which had scrolls, parchments, books and other archives from times unmemorable and so many different realms. It was huge, well illuminated and with desks or sofas to use as anyone pleased but this was nice and cozy too. The scent of wood and old paper filling her nostrils as the man guided her to a high armchair in front of the fire.

She sat down while Mr. Whitmore walked to one of the shelves and took quite a big volume. Before sitting down on his own high armchair, "This is the first part of the material so you will have to get acquainted with Smith's ideas. Adam Smith is considered the father of modern economy so here, take a look at the index and we'll go from there", he handed the book.

Eydís took it with great respect and began eyeing the index, as had been instructed. The book used such a different terminology than she was used to, that it was no wonder that she began her question right away. Mr. Whitmore didn't expect any less from an evidently bright and well nurtured mind so he didn't hold back any knowledge, feeding the new mind in front of him.

About two hours later, they were still discussing the basics of three of Smith's basic laws: self-interest, competition, and supply & demand, but a servant knocked at the door announcing that dinner was ready. "Would you mind joining an old man like myself Princess Eydís?"

"I would be honoured".

During dinner, they kept talking about Smith's work and Eydís stated that she would be done with the book by the next morning if it was alright with the millionaire.

"There is no rush but if you want to try and do it, go ahead. My home is open for you if you wish to stay for the night", he said with a note of hope at the end of the sentence.

"I will remain here until the jewels are sold if that does not cause you any trouble", she answered politely.

"Then it is decided. Alana will show you to your room whenever you want".

Eydís was silent for a brief moment. "I would like to ask you a question but I need you to be blunt about your answer. I will know if you lie", she said in a serious tone. Few tonalities in a person's voice could put off Mr. Whitmore and Eydís had definitely hit one of them. His palms sweated a little while he nodded, "Are you tired?"

This took the old man by surprise. He had already imagined a-thousand-and-one scenarios that would be more befitting of Eydís' seriousness but this was not one of those scenarios. His surprise melted away into a soft smile. As much royal as this girl was, as strong and powerful, as experienced and lethal, she was still a person that cared about those around her. She would have made a good Queen.

"I must admit I am a little tired but I can still function perfectly for another hour or so", he said honestly, not wanting to actually find out whether she could identify lies or not just yet.

Eydís nodded. "In that case I shall take upon your word and see where my chambers are located before I go back to the library. I thank you for the food. It was delicious Preston". She stood up from the table and bowed.

The millionaire looked as she went away, following one of his maids. He had his hands in front of him, deep in thought. If things went his way, he might have just found more than a pupil, he just needed to follow along and see if she would agree in the end to his proposal. Only time would tell.


	7. Living three lives

A/N: Well I had time today so I decided, what the hell and published early in the day. Enjoy.

A/N2: This's a long chapter but I think it was necessary for the character development. If there is any complication with the reading, please do tell me I would be more than happy to explain things out.

A/N3: _Italics_ are thoughts.

* * *

Existence was hard. Of that much Eydís was sure. More so when you were Princess of two realms and had been self appointed to a Midgardian family as their guardian and benefactor for whom you now had to learn about the economic system in order to look after them properly. She was completely exhausted but it had been worth it.

First, Asgard. Being Princess Eydís had always brought her pride, for this was what she felt for her people. Nevertheless, since her true parentage had been revealed, things had changed and she could feel it. Not only some of the council members seemed more reluctant to let her take important decisions or even express her thoughts, the people had changed as well. Now she felt like a true outcast where once she had her home.

Lords Ráðúlfr and Aghi had taken care of igniting a spark of disdain against her midgardian origins and had been questioning each time more openly about the All-Father's sanity for allowing this. The council grew more and more restless until, finally, she had spoken up. As much as she loved her father, she knew that, eventually, she would have to take care of this on her own. Her family would back her up but this was a test, she was positive about it.

"My Lords, may I ask bluntly, what is it that makes you hate midgardians so much?", was her question during a particularly exhausting day and quite a difficult session. The topic of the hour: Free pass for atlantean ambassadors and the royal family into Asgard. This wasn't the first time in the meeting that the topic was brought up but it was the first time she had insisted that the motion was taken seriously so they could be done with it for good and, perhaps more importantly, because she was preceding the council meeting on her own that day.

Lord Ráðúlfr and Lord Aghi had seated themselves the farthest from the asgardian royalty but Eydís could still make out their poisonous words from her chair. Comments like theirs were exactly what kept this subject to be discussed properly and give way to different matters. When the Princess finally spoke up, the Lords were taken aback a little but they put on their sour masks once again.

"It is not that we hate midgardians", Lord Ráðúlfr began, "it is just that we think it improper to even consider such a motion when there are clear laws, established by our ancestors, to prevent them from coming for a reason. Have you ever considered that Princess?"

 _Is he taking me for a fool?_ , she thought. "I agree with you that it may be unwise to allow just anyone into our realm but these are not just any midgardian people. They are atlanteans. Their story goes almost as back as the asgardian. True they are awakening once again to their heritage and power just like I am but that does not make them unworthy", Eydís replied out loud.

"Still, have you not considered Lord Ráðúlfr's question Princess?", Lord Aghi insisted.

"Of course I have", she answered after a sigh. "I have investigated for a very long time about the origin of that law. It is very simple really and consists of two main points. One: Asgardians enjoy a lifestyle that many crave, therefore, having an openness to other realms could cause discomfort among everyone and, eventually, lead to conflict. Also, this way we protect our borders from possible attackers. Two: lifespan. Due to the fact that Aesirs live more than any other known race of people, by denying entrance of other realms with lower lifespans, the emotional health of asgardians is protected", she paused to let every word of hers sink in, "But, there is a special clause here. Should previous negotiations be fruitful and with peace in mind, the civilizations that prove to have a similar lifespan to ours, are welcome into the Realm Eternal. Proof of that is Vanaheim".

Everyone was mute.

"So I ask once again to you my Lords, what is it that makes you hate midgardians so much?", she asked calmly.

"We do not hate them Princess", Lord Aghi responded, "we just think they are…", there was a pause.

"Unworthy?", Lord Birgir offered.

"No, no. That would be the same as saying that Princess Eydís is unworthy of her titles", Lord Aghi said the words clutching his teeth a little but Eydís noticed.

"It is really hard to say this but,... we have heard some ill talking about your Highness", Lord Ráðúlfr continued, "There is a lot of restlessness concerning your position for there are no blood bonds that actually connect you to our royal family".

 _So now there is an 'our' and a 'yours'_ , the Princess thought but kept a stoic face on the outside. "Perhaps", Lord Ráðúlfr kept going, "some of this feelings could be appeased should you marry a true Aesir".

Chaos took over the room. The two lords against the rest of the council but what quieted it all was the All-Father's staff hitting the floor. His voice was calm but Eydís could note the dangerous tone underneath it. "I beg your pardon Lords of the council but are you implying that in order for MY daughter to empower her legitimate title among a few, she must face betrothal? And to whom, may I ask?"

Both Lords went pale, they had never noticed their King walking into the room. None of them could reply but the All-Father kept going in his deceitfully calm voice, "Is it untrue that your son is on the lookout for a wife as we speak Lord Ráðúlfr? Or that your nephew, that is but a century older than my daughter, is also looking for a suitable lifelong partner Lord Aghi? Would they make good suitors? Or did you have someone else in mind?".

Lord Aghi recovered first, "None of what you have said is untrue All-Father but you must admit that it could be", his voice hushed and cracked a little at the end. "Although the people would not oppose should the Princess choose another suitable match".

All was silent until Odin said with a slight frown, "This is unheard of. Why would you give your back to a royal? Princess Eydís has been raised as one of us and, more importantly, as part of my family, I being entirely aware of her situation since the beginning. If I consider her my daughter, why would you stop considering her your Princess now that the truth is known?", his serious tone cut like a knife. "I had thought the council was mature enough to address this kind of issues properly and without me needing to look over every meeting but I suppose I was wrong". Many moved uneasily on their seats.

"In reality, we had practically reached an unanimous understanding. All but two had already agreed that allowing atlantean ambassadors and royal family would be very wise to strengthen our bonds", Lord Birgir interceded, a smile on his features as he told the All-Father the news. Since for this kind of motions, it was required a unanimous answer, every other matter on the agenda had already been discussed before they came back to the real purpose of the meeting.

"If that is the case, I will vouch my word for those two pending votes", Odin said as if he were talking about the climate. "Whatever comes of this decision, I will have a heavier load to bear but as of now, the motion has passed. Atlantis should be notified at once. I declare this assemble over. Everyone should go and prepare for the imminent expeditions to our ally's hometown within six months time. They need help to rebuild their city and we shall lend them a hand until they can stand for themselves once more. At which point, the atlanteans will be welcomed in our realm with all due haste and respect".

There were very surprised people in the room but everyone got up and bowed respectfully before leaving. Anger and defeat evidently present on the two lords' faces as they opened the door. "Oh", Odin said softly as an afterthought but all the members of the council stopped short, "One last thing. Should the matter of my daughter's legitimacy as a royal become an issue once again, feel free to address it directly with me and not to our backs. Am I clear?", a shiver went down some people's spine as the cold words were spoken.

"Yes All-Father", some said and they all got out quickly. After that, only Eydís remained in the room.

"You should have come to me sooner my child", were his first words, spoken in a very soft and concerned voice.

"I did not wish to further burden you with all these matters father", she answered, not daring to look up to him. Eyes fixed on her lap. "I wanted to make you proud by showing you I was more than ready to handle these kind of affairs on my own. I had heard the rumors but I never thought they would be brave enough to bring up the matter of marriage during a council meeting. I apologize father, I was a fool".

It took a couple of seconds for an answer to be heard.

"Inexperienced and naive, yes, but not a fool", she still couldn't look up and now it was worse because she could feel her eyes sting with unshed tears. "You carry a very heavy burden now little star, but since you are not alone, you should not attempt to lift it all on your own. It would not be fair".

Eydís looked up seeing her father smiling warmly at her. She stood up and ran to him. She embraced him tightly around his waist and, silently, let the tears roll her cheeks for a minute. It was true, she was not alone but this made her feel both happy and afraid. Afraid that she might let someone down.

In her second life, she was best known as Mika, the long-lost Princess. People from the whole city came to greet her whenever she arrived. It was really nice. She was sure that, at some point, the euphoria would die out but right now it felt nice though it troubled her deeply. This acceptance only made her more aware of the rejection and criticism she was facing back in Asgard and, more than once, she wondered if she should just give up her title on the other realm.

Her sister, Kida as well as her Tabtop, pampered her a lot but also insisted that she should learn the atlantean ways as well. This meant, school. They had set up a building to reinstate the classes and looked all over the city to find the right teachers. Besides Milo (who took over the reading and writing classes), there were few people that actually remembered the old ways but, up until now, they had sufficed to lead the groups of young ones. Not only the kids but some teenagers as well.

Mika had been sent to learn alongside them which, not only benefited her during studying sessions, it also brought her closer to her people. Sometimes she would go back to the palace and ask Kida and Milo for help, especially with history and writing. Those two subjects were so vast that they actually were complicated for Mika (considering her mind was more than a turmoil). Milo would give her additional help not without a comment appealing to her guilt upon the lines that she would have to aid others in return.

Being Princess Mika almost felt like only being Mika. A younger daughter, living with her father with her older sister and her fiancé; a student; a girl that would get home to do her homework and have extracurricular classes. Mika was really impressed by the body combat styles that were used in Atlantis and had begged Kida to teach her. Eventually, after a whole afternoon of imploring, Kida accepted, full warning her little sister that there would be no special treatment or additional contemplations for her as long as Kida was teaching. Mika agreed eagerly and they had began with the combat sessions the next day.

To some extent, this interaction made her think of Loki. She missed her brothers very much. With all that had been going on, it had been hard to be with them. This fact only served to increase her guilt as she did find the time to be with Kida, and Kida always made time for her. It was as if they were making up for all the lost time.

Still, this type of occasions, though the most, were not the only visits she made. When she was on official matters as Asgard's ambassador, things tended to get very serious. There were less lessons and more meetings with the elders. Atlantis had provided willingly whatever the Asgardians needed for transportation and had a small part of the guest wing fully operating only six months after the whole affair. Lord Birgir had volunteered to go on the first expedition party and had been granted pass alongside Odin, Loki, Thor and two more members of the court.

The young Princess had been there to greet them along her older sister in atlantean clothes. She was very happy to see most of her family together again. They toured around the safest areas of the city and Kida pointed out which were the ones that would take longer to repair or were the most dangerous ones.

"Anything you might need, please do ask", the All-Father assured walking by the heir's side and Thor close behind.

Lord Birgir was eager to participate in the talk as well. He looked like a child that had been given the best present in the world. The First Princess doubted he felt any less than that and smiled internally.

"It looks like you are already feeling comfortable with atlantean garment", Loki told his sister. He had been on the rear on purpose for he knew that his little sister would catch the idea.

"I know it is not much of your liking but it is too hot here to wear asgardian clothes all the time", she paused and smiled, "Besides, I have always liked the feeling of the ground under my feet", she made a motion to her bare feet.

Loki sighed.

"I can barely recognize you".

"I am still the same", she answered.

"Not entirely", he said quietly. She understood. As Princess Eydís, sister of Prince Loki, she understood very well the meaning of his words. It really broke her heart to see her favorite brother suffering, more so when she was the cause of it. As Princess Mika, she didn't wish to lose any more time without her big sister and wished to remain in Midgard a little longer. Worse, Kida wasn't the only reason she needed and wanted to stay.

It is here that her third life collided with the other two. Ever since she had first spoken to Debbie and her mother on that October day, the Princess knew that there was no going back. In addition to her atlantean lessons, she had been taking even more classes with Mr. Whitmore about the upper world. Both assignatures highly complex on their own accord and that, added with Asgard's lords harassment, it had been quite a combo.

When little Sam had come along, she had confided in Loki about her situation saying that as complicated as it was, Sam was a little light in the darkness that brought her lots of joy. But the comment had only made her brother distant and quiet towards her.

"What are you afraid of Loki? That this child might take your place? I swear to you brother, that is not the case", she had assured him and though he had embraced her as if forgiving her lack of attention towards him, things had changed and Eydís was afraid to say it outloud.

After that first visit from the asgardians, Eydís had reappeared in Asgard for several weeks working on a very personal project with the Queen's help. These artifacts would simplify her life if only a little. She had asked for Loki's help but, for the first time, he had turned her down flat when she was explaining the whole thing to him. It had stung more than a little to be shoved away like that but Eydís swallowed her feelings and had asked the Queen instead who accepted with delight.

Once she was done, she went to the Bifrost and directly to Mr. Whitmore's house. The old man had been waiting for her pupil. She had told him beforehand that she needed some time with this project, and, should it work, it would benefit them all. They agreed to install the artifact in the room she used the most, to prevent surprises in any of the common rooms. The girl uncovered a beautiful full length mirror with a golden frame.

"Does it work? Is it safe?", Mr. Whitmore had asked.

"For me, it is. My mother and I have ensured that, for now, I am the only one who can use it. It is better this way Preston", Eydís said while looking at the mirror. "As for your other question, I only hope it does".

"I understand. Well, safe trip to Atlantis. I'll see you soon I guess", the old one said.

"Yes Preston. Soon", she said farewell and then walked quickly out of the house, getting transported via Bifrost to The Gate for the last time.


	8. His teacher

" _Jan. 4, 1920._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _It's almost my birthday number 5 but mommy is still writing for me. There has been so much going on around here that I'm not sure where to start. Mmm… I think I will start from the beginning. Thank you so so so so much for the magic potion. Ever since daddy began taking it he looks so much happier. He even notices me more. Last week I made a drawing of a forest and gave it to daddy. He smiled like I had never seen him smile before and even patted me on the head. Whatever magic you gave him is working really well._

 _Speaking of last week, I have wanted to tell you this too. We have a new neighbor! One of the houses that had been empty for some time, has been prettied (or as mommy says it, it has been cleaned up and made it ha-bi-ta-ble, I just think it looks prettier now) and someone has come to live here. Not just anyone. A teacher, can you believe it? If you wonder how I know I will tell you._

 _We were at the church last Sunday and we saw this old lady come in real late. She has grey hair, blue eyes and a lot of wrinkles but she smells real nice, like apple and cinnamon. She apologized a lot and said that she was new in town. She had just arrived by train that day and had practically run to the service but she had gotten lost because she didn't know where it was so she had been late. Father Perkins forgave her and we kept going._

 _After the mass was over, I went to her and asked where she was living. I was very surprised when she said that she was going to live next to my house, so I asked for her name. She answered: 'I'm Grace Evans. Nice to meet you. What's your name?'. I said: 'I'm Samuel Baker but everyone calls me Sammy'. Well, everyone but you. I still don't know why you keep calling me Samuel. You know you can call me Sammy, right? Or just Sam if you want. I like either way. Samuel makes me feel… old. Mommy is laughing now at my scrunched nose._

 _Anyways, Ms. Evans said (mommy says I should call her Miss because she has never been married) it was really nice to meet her young neighbor and invited me and my parents and even granny to her house to have some pie. We went there because we loooove pie and guess what. She has several canaries in cages at her house! They can be real noisy but when they sing it sounds very nice. My parents were talking with her when I saw a paper that hung on one of her walls. I asked what it was and she asked, real polite: 'Don't you know how to read?'. Mom says I blushed a little but she spoke up: 'There're no really good teachers here and no schools so he hasn't learned'. She said: 'I see. Then, how about a deal? If young Sam here comes to help me take care of my canaries, I will teach him'._

 _My eyes were very big and I was smiling a lot. The grown ups were all silent for a moment but accepted in the end after Ms. Evans kept telling them that it was fine. She had been a teacher in Boston for many years so she knew how to handle things. I also begged them to let me take the lessons, that way I wouldn't have to go to Dickinson to learn so, after my birthday, I will be going to Ms. Evans' monday to friday, from 10 am till 2 pm to learn. I will try my best to learn fast so I can write the next letter to you all by myself. I wish we could write more to each other but daddy says you are probably a very busy person and that I should be grateful to receive your correspondence at all. Once a month is quite something._

 _I still think we should write more but I don't want you to be angry with me for bothering so much so I will just write on special occasions. I hope to hear from you soon._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_


	9. Special gift

A/N: Due to the fact that last chap was very short, I have decided to upload a second one today. Enjoy.

* * *

" _January 6th, 1920._

 _My dearest Samuel,_

 _Firstly, I would like to wish you a very Happy Name Day! It is not every day that you turn five years old so I would like to congratulate you for having been alive for yet another winter. I am more than pleased when I hear of what a lovely and intimate family reunion you had last night and what a spectacular party you are having today. I pray that you live so many more years along your family and friends._

 _As tradition dictates, I have send you a gift but this time I will ask probably the hardest thing one could ask of a child like yourself: keep it closed. I need your word of honor that you will not open it until you have learned how to read and write. Consider it as an additional motivation for you to learn as soon as possible. I will be waiting patiently until you do so._

 _Lastly, I got to tell you a secret. Where I grew up we usually use our full names to call each other unless we have a familiar name we would like ourselves to be called by and, even then, only the closest people to us can use that name. I can not say we are entirely distant but, do you really wish me to call you by your familiar name?_

 _For now I must cut short but do not believe for a moment that I think of this as an unimportant day. It is yours to play and be merry. Congratulations again._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Oct. 12, 1920._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _There are many things I would like to write to you but first, thank you. I liked your gift a lot. I'm afraid of making mistakes on this note. It is the first one I write on my own. I have been studyng with Ms. Evans for months now and I have opened your gift at last. Momy had forgotten about it and I was alon in my room when I opened it. I read your note too. I'm going to take care of it._

 _I'm also writting to see if the paper you gifted me is really magical. I know (funy word, I was surprised to learn one must write it with a 'k') it will be. You are a Nisse after all. I have practiced a lot with the books you gave me and some Ms. Evans has in her house. I can read almost the whole story of the nisse by myself now (ad a 'k' and the word changes, funy). Thanks again and please call me Samy or Sam._

 _Love,_

 _Samy"._

 _-o-_

" _October 13th, 1920._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _Now that I have your permission I will call you by this name. You can not possibly know how proud I feel right now. To have learnt to read and write in such a short time is a very good sign. You will need more practice of course but keep going with Ms. Evans._

 _As I have written on my name day note to you, this is a very special paper. I will tell you how this instrument works for it has its own rules._

 _Put the letter under anything (your pillow would be the best option) for the message to reach me. It is not necessary to put it in the iron box of the mail for the paper to work._

 _Always look on your left pocket for an answer (as you probably did today)._

 _Only this paper will be sent when you put it under your pillow. If you wish to send something else, you can use an envelope._

 _It matters not what you use to write your note with, it will always be sent and I will always be the recipient._

 _It is unnecessary to fill the whole page. Even the smallest piece of the paper will be enough to deliver a message._

 _Keep it a secret… for now._

 _As I have told you before, this is a very special paper. It will link us no matter where we are so it will be easier to communicate like you wanted. Whenever you are about to run out of pages, send me a little strand of your hair. Like the one you sent me on the last Christmas day. Only then will I be able to make more._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_


	10. For the first time

A/N: Yey new chap. I have been thinking on publishing on wednesdays as well so I can wrap up this story faster. Almost done btw. Hope you like it.

* * *

It had finally happened. After so much heartache and constant hard work, it was done. The city had been rebuilt entirely. It had taken seven long years of persistence but the results had been amazing. The school had been set up properly, a wing of the palace had been turned into a public hospital, the stone giants were restored, the buildings had been fixed, a library was opened and both flora and fauna had increased their presence in the city. Furthermore, the citizens seemed to be very happy with all the arrangements as well. There was no person that would starve or suffer from illness and the children were growing stronger than before.

In short, the Princesses were really happy with the outcome of this whole project. They held hands as they looked from one of the palace's balconies at what they had helped restore.

"It will not be long now Kiki", Eydís told her big sister. "They shall summon us soon".

"Are you sure little star?", Kida asked a bit doubtful. Eydís nodded with a smile, still unable to tear her sight from the city. It was definitely different from Asgard but it was beautiful on its own way. She liked different.

Kida looked at her sister. Within almost a decade, they had grown so fond of each other. They had spent much of Eydís' time in Atlantis together sharing stories and making memories together. Kida had wished for nothing but to make her little sister happy, comfortable and proud so she had silently agreed to listen to every word of admiration this girl had for her brothers, parents, friends and homeland.

At first it had been painful, Kida even found herself jealous of the people in her sister's stories but she grew used to it when she noticed the gleam of joy in Eydís' eyes as she retold some anecdote. Not only that, Kida had also been very aware of her little sister's constant correspondence towards the Kraft widow and the Bakers, specially the younger one. Atlantis' future Queen had noticed the kind smiles with which Eydís read each and everyone of the letters she received and that feeling only increased when, apparently, the boy began to write by his own hand. Eydís was doing more than the imposible to live up to the expectations of many but that was only another trait that Kida admired from her sister.

With all the workload, it was a miracle that Eydís had been able to keep up with all her studies relatively well and what really helped her sleep at night was the thought that, should anything happen to their Tabtop or her, Eydís would be a more than capable Queen. She worried though that the young Princess would have a mental breakdown but she knew that Eydís would manage. People in Atlantis adored her and would undoubtedly help her. Now it was finally time to see what all the fuss about Asgard was.

As Eydís had predicted, the next morning King Kashekim and his family received Prince Loki in the throne room.

"Good morning Your Majesty, Princess Kida, Prince Milo", he bowed and added with a small smile, "Sister".

Eydís smiled too and ran to his arms. It didn't matter that they were in the throne room, there was no one to judge them but the guards and they had grown used to their Princess' love displays towards the asgardians.

"Good morning Loki", she answered looking up from his chest. She let go but remained by his side.

"I have come here to bring the news. The Realm Eternal will be honored to have the atlantean royal family as its guests. Would you accompany me come noon to part from this earth and into my…", he made a pause, looked at his sister who was still by his side, embraced her with his left arm and corrected, "our homeland?"

King Kashekim and his eldest daughter shared a small, sad smile. They had heard this kind of corrections before but it still hurt them to realize that the younger member of their family had not been with them for so long that, to her, homeland meant Asgard. It would definitely take a lot of time to get used to this.

"It will be my pleasure", the King said.

"In that case I shall wait till the hour comes by…"

"My door", Eydís interrupted as she held tightly part of Loki's green cape. All the people in the room suddenly looked at her, "I am almost ready to leave. I need only to change my garments and do my hair. Please brother, wait outside my door and I shall take you anywhere you would like to visit until the time comes". There was a small pleading tone in her voice that Loki had never really been able to deny anything to. This was no exception and he agreed with a nod.

Eydís became very excited, took Loki's hand on hers and waited till the King gave them leave before she (almost) dragged him to her room. As instructed, her brother waited outside ten or fifteen minutes before he saw his sister come out of the room in a very elegant dress. He took a minute to take the whole sight of her.

The lower part of her dress consisted of a trumpet, asymmetrical skirt that revealed her ankles (from behind) and half of her crus was exposed as well (from the front). Her waist was highlighted by the union of the top and the skirt. The upper part was halter strap styled with a small cleavage allowing a good view of her collarbones and a peak of her breasts over which her crystal rested. The gown was golden, much like the dresses their mother wore to formal occasions and it accentuated his sister's womanly curves very well but without losing the elegance. She had some golden bracelets on both wrists and her hair was up on a very asgardian fashion with small golden pins holding her silver curls. All that added to the little makeup she was wearing made her look indescribably beautiful.

Loki allowed his eyes to roam over Eydís. She had surely grown up to be a very attractive maiden. It delighted him that there was no obvious prospects trying to get his sister's favor, he wasn't sure how he would handle it but he doubted it would be good for the men. Besides, that would mean that she would most probably forget about him and Loki, though he wouldn't say it out loud, was dead scared of that idea. Only having been apart this past few years had been tortuous.

The worst had definitely been the beginning. Those first six months after the initial expedition, had been almost the death of him. He had been silently furious with his little sister. After all, she had promised to be always there for him. At that moment, when she learned about Kida, Eydís had left him down to his own luck in the Realm Eternal. He understood that Eydís was not entirely enjoying all the new responsibilities she had acquired but he had sometimes wished that there was no one else he had to share her with.

As the third in line (fourth when Balder lived) to the throne, Eydís had so much more freedom than Thor or even himself. True, being the only female she had had special lessons but still, she had a lot of time for herself. Time that she usually spent with him. Being the Princess of two realms was a completely different thing. Specially when one of those realms had been hidden and decaying for millennia. The reconstruction of the buildings and the re-establishment of the culture on its own accord would be very much to handle alone. If one added that to the constant meetings with the council it was a lot of work. Loki had noticed that fact after the celebrations in Atlantis were over.

 _At that time, Loki wished to help but he had been barely able to talk to her, his sister became a ghost to him. In an attempt to get Eydís' attention he began taking care of her garden. In the few weeks that the Princess had been gone, some of the flowers began to die due to the lack of water. Having the adventure end as it did, Loki took it upon himself to take care of both his garden and his sister's for she had barely had time to even sleep properly, let alone tend to her flowers. He had thought that having the garden properly looked after would make the Princess very happy and would even allow him a couple of minutes to speak to her like they used to do._

 _It had taken him about a week to make the place presentable and then, he had worked for a few months to bring it to its former glory. When he finished he was very satisfied, he was sure that his sister would highly enjoy the view so he went looking for her. He walked into the palace and stopped, trying to deduce where Eydís was._

 _His first thought was the Council room but there were no meetings there that he knew of. Next he thought of, was her room, but it was very unlikely that she was there considering the hour (barely even noon). He considered looking in the stables, the library and the training grounds but he discarded every place for the simple reason that she seemed unable to find time to spare and go to any of those places. The only other place he could think of was… the Bifrost. Either because she was leaving, arriving or, sometimes, something in between, it was the safest bet for sure. Thus, Loki walked quickly to the stables, fetched his horse and rode to Heimdall's chamber._

 _All the way there, he planned out the whole scenario time and again. The Prince thought that the best course of action would be leading his sister back to the garden under the premise of a very urgent matter. Something dramatic verging on the point of cataclysmic without making her worry too much. He could use Thor as an excuse or even Lady Sif but he was sure that the latter wouldn't like the idea of being a pawn of his schemes. Therefore, he thought of their mother, which was, in reality, the perfect choice._

 _Yes, yes, maybe that their mother had been looking for her because she wished to give the young Princess something important. If Eydís asked why in the gardens he could simply reply that it was because the Queen had to urgently tend her Jade Vines. This flowers being incredibly hard to grow and needing so many different spells to stay alive were the ideal justification for his plan. Loki would take Eydís' hand to guide her through the quickest route to their mother's garden having to go through the Princess' patch to get there._

 _The younger sister was going to be so impressed and happy when she saw all the new flowers blooming, blue, white, pink, red, orange of so many different shades and shapes. Just the way she liked it. Eydís would be so thankful that she would strongly embrace him, smiling at the sight. She would look him in the eye and she would forget everything else for a while. She would sit on the marble bench by his side and they would talk and laugh like they always did. Things would be back to normal._

 _In Loki's mind everything was perfect. Every little detail from the color of Eydís' cheeks to the topics they would talk about, he had already visualized it all. So it came as a great surprise when the Prince dismounted his horse, went into the chamber and found Eydís smiling widely, her eyes slightly watery._

" _Is everything alright little star?", Loki was confused._

" _At long last brother", she turned to see him, the smile never failing, "little Samuel has finally been born on this day"._

 _The Prince was very confused. He blinked._

" _Do excuse my ignorance. Who?"_

" _Did I not mention it?", her eyes grew in surprise._

 _Loki was silently waiting for an answer._

" _Alice Kraft had a sister. Debbie is her name and she was with child. When first I met her back in October she was already way ahead of the five months. Alice confided in me that her sister wished to call her newborn Gavin but that she liked the name Samuel better. I went to the Kraft family's house to deliver this message in person and Debbie seemed to agree with Alice's last request. She had her child today and Debbie named him as his sister wanted him to be named", Eydís ran forward to embrace Loki. "I am so happy brother. All of this sudden reinstatement as Second Princess in Atlantis and all the terribly boring Council meetings have made me want to think of abdicating a title already but now, I feel as if there is a light around so much dullness. Something to hold on to. Can you imagine? A whole new life. Do you not think of it as beautiful?"_

 _For a moment the Prince was unsure of what to say or do. He didn't even know how to feel until the worst combination of emotions took hold of him. Anger came to him in hot waves added to the disappointment and a sudden feeling of betrayal. While his head pounded, his hands prickled, unable to return the embrace or even touch her. His mouth tightened._

" _Brother?", she glanced upwards. Those irresistible doe eyes of hers, not blue any longer but dark brown, a few shades from black. Those eyes that transmitted so much whenever she wanted them to and right now they showed so much confusion. Her grip became weaker and Loki took that as his chance to escape her arms. His plans and hard work, all for nought. Without saying a word, he left._

" _Loki?!", he heard his sister scream as he mounted and left in haste._

 _For two weeks straight he avoided Eydís almost completely, unable to even look at her. He was afraid that the moment he did so all those terribly possessive feelings would come back. Why would that loathly, baseborn, dandiprat babe be more important to her than her family? Than him? Why would it make her feel better and not a good talk in the garden? Wasn't he enough? The mere thought of the questions made him angry, therefore he kept his distance._

 _That is till Eydís had had enough. She had been worried sick that she had offended her brother with her comment and took it upon herself to fix the problem. Eydís followed her brother to the gardens after dinner. Sneaking as she had been taught by the greatest trickster Asgard had ever seen. Still, her nerves made her a bit sloppy and it was evident that he noticed her long before he stopped at the entrance of her garden._

" _Loki?", her voice almost a plea, "I need to ask you something"._

 _Her brother didn't even turn around._

" _What are you afraid of Loki? That this child might take your place? I swear to you brother, that is not the case", she had assured him, her voice almost cracking at the end. "Please brother, I beg you, do not shut me out". For the first time, Eydís was unsure that her beloved Loki would receive kindly a hug so she remained where she was, head low and a knot in her throat, his back to her. For the first time she was afraid that Loki would deny her the physical contact that their relationship had always had._

 _Suddenly, the Prince turned around and embraced her. It was a hug full of shame and guilt for him but also a very possessive one. He had surprised himself jealous of a baby and he had hurt one of the few people in Asgard that loved him deeply and even looked up to him. He had been ungrateful and childish. Worse, he had doubted his sister._

 _As Eydís clasped tightly onto Loki's arms, a few tears escaped her eyes. They both realised that they were standing before a fork and that the course of action the Princess chose would change things. Now there was something they couldn't share with each other. Now there was someone else in between, an outsider, and Loki hated it. They feared that, the moment they broke the embrace, a decision would be made._

 _They took their time and, a bit unwillingly, they finally let go. A moment later, the god of mischief had been able to show his sister what he had done with the garden and she had been very impressed and happy, just like he knew she would. She had also asked him if he could look after the patch for a while. At least until Atlantis was fully restored._

" _Things will be easier after that", she had promised and he could only hope._

She had promised him, thus, he had waited patiently. Or at least as patiently as he could. Eydís had never mentioned that baby again and he had never asked but deep down he knew that the correspondence was constant. He also knew that she had established a direct line of transportation between her chambers in Atlantis and an (unofficially) permanently appointed bedroom in one of Preston Whitmore's mansions in a city called Washington D.C. Loki was also well aware of the money she sent and the favors she called in for the family of that Alice Kraft so they could live peacefully in that small town of theirs, specially that boy.

Through those seven years of reconstruction, he had internally accepted the fact that he was, indeed, jealous of the boy. The last thing he wanted was to share his little sister with someone else but he wouldn't mention it to anyone and had tried to keep their sibling relationship as close to what it was before as he could. He didn't want to make Eydís choose and he didn't want to push her away either. Now, standing right in front of him was his little sister in the perfect combination of atlantean and asgardian garments.

"You look beautiful", he said softly. She blushed a little but smiled.

"Thank you brother. Sukhakari and myself worked hard to design the whole line. We thought it best for political reasons", she paused. "So, do tell me, where do you wish to go?"

"How about you decide where you want to take me?"

"Hmmm…", she thought a moment and then made up her mind. "I know where".

"In that case", he offered his arm gallantly. "My Princess".

Eydís giggled at his mocking tone and simply took it. She had learned many secrets in that palace, perhaps not all of them but enough to take them both through a series of corridors that lead to the lowest part of the building, the whole path without windows to give away too much.

Their walk was silent but comfortable until they came up to a door. Eydís opened it and Loki was astounded by the huge garden that came to his view. More than a garden it was a park with rows and rows of flowers. Most of which he knew and had even planted in his own garden. Some he recognized as plants and flowers from his sister's garden and some more were totally unknown to him. He was completely agaped by the shapes and colors of the whole view.

"It was hard to come up with this", Eydís said after a minute of pure contemplation. The look on her brother's face had been worth every hour of investigation and work. "I had to make a thorough investigation about possible negative consequences of flora insertion in this city. I made a test group to find out about any possible allergies or crossed contamination that could occur, the impact on the fauna and many other variables. This is the result. What do you think of it?", she asked a bit worried.

"I think this is a magnificent blend", he paused and looked at her, "like you".

Eydís laughed heartedly. "I am no blend. Not yet I fear".

"Yes, you are"

His sister looked at him happily. They missed this interaction. The next few hours, the younger royal explained the basic information about some of the foreign plants to her brother, she took him to the school (where he made a few mental notes to include an astrology class in the future) and finally to the murals. Most were on public display, re-telling Atlantis history, but there were some more private that only few had access to so Eydís took Loki there.

They were so lost in conversation that they almost missed their rendezvous with the atlantean royalty. Thankfully, Eydís had the caution to ask Sheshkala to take her luggage to the pier beforehand so they didn't have to go to the palace anymore. As they were arriving, so were the atlanteans.

"I guess we are all in time", the King smiled.

"I am sorry Tabtop. It was my fault for not checking the time constantly but we are ready".

"There is nothing to worry about, we are all here. Let us part", the King continued.

They went on the fish all the way to The Gate.

"Heimdall, let us pass", Loki commanded as he looked to the sky. For the briefest instant, the atlanteans were surprised but then, from the sky down came a great whirlwind of light that embraced them all. Kida had barely time to breath when Eydís took her hand and, suddenly, she was shooting through the sky. Everything became a blur as the rainbow surrounded their bodies. The heir to the throne of Atlantis managed to look at her little sister who simply smiled.

As abrupt as it had begun, it suddenly stopped. Kida found herself about to fall on her face, lucky for her, Mika was holding her hand and that stabilized her. She looked back and noticed her father and husband would have met the same fate had Prince Loki not been holding them. After checking on her Tabtop and Milo, Kida studied her surroundings. They were in a golden chamber where a sole man stood. This man was as tall as Thor (if Kida's memory was any good, and it was), had dark skin and a pair of eyes as golden as the armor he wore.

"Welcome Your Majesties", his voice a loud boom in the silence of the confined chamber, "to Asgard", he bowed his head.

"Sister, Tabtop, Milo, this is Heimdall. He can see and hear all and, above all, he is a our Gatekeeper". Eydís introduced.

"Greetings great Heimdall, I would like to get better acquainted with you another time if possible", King Kashekim said.

"I would like that very much Your Majesty", Heimdall answered politely.

Eydís waved him farewell and they all walked out of the chamber. The atlanteans' jaws almost dropped when they saw the city. They were mesmerized by the richness of the golden colors as well as the browns and silvers. The buildings made of something completely foreign to them as well as the flying machines that could be clearly discerned thanks to the beautiful sky. This, along with the Asbru Bridge were the things that captivated them the most, specially Kida. True, she had seen the stars in the past but she was only a little girl and those memories were vague. Here, nonetheless, the sky was new and the sensation that the bridge caused to her feet was simply exquisite.

When they got to the other side, there was a carriage waiting for them, the coachman opened the door for them. Kida had never seen horses before and was highly impressed by the beasts. She would have to ask a lot about them to her sister. The carriage was made of pure gold and had gems embedded on the top borderline. It had no bonnet so they could see the city with no problem. They encountered very few people on the way to the castle, which Kida thought strange but had an idea of what was about to happen. The excitement made her tremble a little but it never took her smile away.

"We are about to arrive", Loki said unexpectedly. "If you would be so kind as to allow me to go down first. Then I would ask Princess Kida and Prince Milo to go down together and, last, but not least, Your Majesty with Eydís. That way we will make evident all of our ranks. I know it is a bit too much, but people here highly value this kind of traditions and protocols".

"There is nothing to be sorry about. I fully understand that my family and me are merely guests here so please, feel free to instruct us properly", The King responded.

Loki gave him a side smile and a nod. The anticipation almost cutting like a knife.

A minute later, the company crossed a large archway and then the screams started. Standing ovations, golden confetti, flower petals, roars of excitement, the atlanteans and Milo had a very swift moment to absorb it all. These people had been waiting for them and they were received in one of the warmest ways possible (according to asgardian custom). The King was truly grateful of being alive to see that day.

He was also thankful when he realized he would not have to walk up all the stairway. Apparently, there was a second entrance, equally big and magnificent but with no stairs. That relieved his heart and aching bones. He had to admit that the potions from Asgard's head healer had helped a lot but he just knew and accepted that he was way too old for this grand entrances.

The carriage stopped. Loki opened the door and came down, putting up his hand to aid Princess Kida to come down. She waited. Next came Milo and both of them began walking behind the asgardian Prince. The chauffeur lent a hand to Eydís and both helped the old Kashekim to follow suit. The Princess waited for her tabtop, as instructed, and they began walking all the way to the throne where Eydís knew that her parents and blond brother would be.

Through the long walk, they encountered so much cheer and happy faces. Eydís finally allowed herself to feel at home again. She was used to this kind of treatment not the shady, gossiping and alienation that had been going on during the first year and a half of reconstruction. That is until asgardians actually began going down to Atlantis, telling great stories when they came back. Only then did understanding began to dawn on the Realm Eternal, or, at least, on most of it.

There were still a few opposing the income, but they were such a minority that no one really cared about them. Nevertheless, Loki had deployed a very efficient system to keep them monitored reporting to Odin alone. Still, that day was pure excitement. As King Kashekim approached the throne, there was only a feeling of thrill, a smile fixed on his face.

Odin, Frigg and Thor were indeed waiting for the other royals. The monarch having his wife at his left and Thor on his right side. Loki reached his place at Thor's right waiting for everyone else to catch up. Once both families met, Odin stretched the old King's forearm while the Queen squeezed Kida's and, Thor, Milo's. Loki held his sister's hand on his for a moment before placing a small kiss on it.

The greatest ovation of the day was heard, almost deafening everyone. Asgard understood what this meant. Neither grand speeches had to be spoken nor elaborated oaths needed to be recited. It was obvious. This was the acceptance, the ultimate fusion of the cultures and a vow to remain allies for as long as they existed. This was the key, the atlanteans lacked before, to enter Asgard.


	11. Family dinner

A/N: As promised, I have updated before friday and I must say that this was one of my favorite chapters because it took me so long to finally get here when I wanted to spill all this info almost the moment I thought of it but I'm aware that a story needs a good structure and so I had to hold back. In the end, I really liked the outcome. If there are any doubts you can always PM me or ask in a review. I will gladly explain anything you might not have understood. :3

Enjoy!

* * *

The great banquet was absolutely perfect. Wines, fruits, meats, vegetables, there was nothing more people could ask. The atlanteans were ecstatic with all the variety, so much different than their own cuisine but delicious nonetheless. There was so many people in the hall. The guesting royalty was acquainted to the lords and ladies of the council as well as some of the main heads of Vanaheim's most important families. So much noise, turmoil of colors, scents, tastes. Kida was delighted.

Yet, what Eydís actually enjoyed was the next day's dinner. This was a very small and intimate hour which was welcomed after so much energy the previous day. Both royal families along with The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were among the few invited that day. The chat became less official and much more familiar until a certain Prince asked.

"Eydís, I remember you once told us you would tell us the whole tale of your arrival here in Asgard. Would you tell us tonight?"

The Princess blinked as all eyes were suddenly on her.

"That is true Loki, she did promise and now seven years have gone by without actually hearing the story", Thor supported.

"It was not that I had failed to remember but rather that I was waiting for the perfect occasion", Eydís tried to excuse herself.

"In that case, what better chance than today little sister", Loki continued.

"You are right brother", she sighed. "Just give me a moment to place correctly every thought".

The Princess crossed her arms in front of her chest, head bowed, meditating for a moment. All the present looked at her expectantly, some more patiently than others. When Eydís finally looked up, her voice was solemn.

"Tabtop, Kida do you remember what I told you about the infinity stones?"

"I believe I do sister", Kida answered.

The King only nodded.

"In that case, you remember as well how I told you the Great Crystal came to be, do you not?"

Again, both nodded but Volstagg spoke up:

"Wait, what do the infinity stones have to do with anything?"

"Well my dear Volstagg, everything. See, the powers of the original Being after the universe came to be, eventually were known as the relics. Yet, there were remains of It unable to forge into concentrated ingots like the rest. At least not in the beginning. The essence of this Being traveled far and wide, getting to know what was created by Its sacrifice and in truth, favored Midgard the most, finding a special village to which it gave its power and knowledge, but here is where the story you told me father diverges from the truth.

"It went directly to the cave, hid in it, for the view of the village from that mountain was perfect. The Being lived there for many human lifetimes, watching, seldom going out terrorized by the idea of being feared or rejected but slowly, beginning to fade away. That is, until Its curiosity could not be handled anymore. One night It got out and went to the village in the shape of mist. It wanted to be near the people, to know what they wished for, hoped for, what made them happy and what saddened them. It wanted to feel closer to them.

"The fog went into each one of the tents, filling the people's nostrils and allowing It a look into everyone's minds. It was astounded by their dreams but there was one particular person that caught Its attention. Originally, the Being wasn't sure what to make of this images so, as dawn drew near, the fog retreated. It got back to the mountain and mused over all It had learned that night. It had to know more", Eydís made a pause to look at Odin, "Here is where the second deviation of your story takes place Father. The person that caught Its attention was not a man but rather a woman. A young woman with incredible dreams. Different from the simple minds of the rest of her village.

"For this reason, the Being made it Its ritual to go down at least once every new moon to look into this person's dreams. After a short while It got down more often. At first it were the crescent moons. Then, the waxing moons were added. Then the waning moons until, eventually, It came down every night just to look into her dreams. These dreams were more consistent yet much more creative than any other human he had encountered so far. Selfless and always looking for a way to help others.

"After a year had gone by, It decided to take a shape in order to communicate. It needed some sort of disguise that would not scare this person. It chose the figure of an old lady he once saw during all those solitary years and presented Itself to this woman at night. As expected, the old lady was welcomed very much into the dreamer's mind, she became the mentor and guide and their bond became stronger with every dream that the woman made come true. Also, the Being could feel Itself become stronger when It was in the dreams. Something about this girl needing and accepting Its counsel helped It regain the lost strength little by little.

"However, some villagers grew suspicious about the girl. They could not understand how their comrade did the things she did. It was even harder for them to accept the idea that an old lady in a dream was responsible for such wonders so they kept harassing her for hours. At the end of the day, the woman was very tired, sad and even a little scared that the other villagers would do something to harm her.

"Once again, It came to her in her dreams. The young one voiced her thoughts and fears to the old lady, who said that if the woman wanted to meet her in person, there was a way. The old lady said that it would require lots of courage and an open mind but that the girl had to trust that she would be safe. The girl thought it very odd but accepted the offer. In that moment, It showed the human a path to reach the top of the mountain and the entrance to the cave. The female absorbed everything a bit scared that she could forget any important detail but determined to find the old lady.

"The very next morning, before anyone else got up, she took some supplies and up she went. She traveled for hours, always upwards. The path was steep, the water supply limited and the predators always near but she managed to endure. What kept her going was her dream and the curiosity to actually meet the old lady. It was beyond her why anyone would like to live up there all alone and have the power to get into other people's dreams.

"It was almost nightfall when she finally arrived at the entrance, tired, scratched and worn. She got in though she did not get too far away from the opening. A sudden weariness filled her, her legs wobbled. All she could do in order not to fall too violently was to hold on to the wall but eventually she ended up on the floor, soundly asleep.

"The old lady came to her once again. Told her that they were about to meet face to face. Old pleaded the young to be brave and not run away for she would never hurt her. The girl promised and only then did she woke up. It was very strange indeed for her to wake up as suddenly, as she had collapsed but she noticed that, judging by the light at the entrance that could still be seen, it was most probably midnight. Still, there was something bright shining just around the corner.

"Standing up, she walked towards the glow. Once she turned the corner, she noticed how much brighter the light was but she could not see a soul other than herself. She kept going on to the end of this new corridor. What she saw, astounded her. The passage opened into a huge, beautiful, cavern filled with natural, transparent quartzes. It had a natural, high ceiling where a huge, blue light floated. She was breathless as the light of the ball above was reflected on the crystals below, dancing and twinkling as if the night sky had descended on Earth.

"The old lady had warned her that she might not see precisely her but rather something unbelievable. She asked of the young one to believe in her words, to trust her and so, the human remained there, sitting on the ground, shaking a little but not wanting to run away. Despite everything, she felt at peace and she would wait for the old lady for as long as she needed to show herself.

Eydís took a sip of wine from her goblet, eyes low. When she raised them, everyone was still staring at her. It was quite a hilarious picture to her. The eldest royals' faces were pretty much unreadable but the others were simply too funny. All had wide eyes on their faces, some had been caught up doing something. For example, Volstagg had a boar's leg mid-air, mouth slightly agape, ready for the bite that never came. Fandral, Sif and Thor were holding their respective goblets a little over the table. Milo was caught with a mouthful of fish that he hadn't swallowed. Kida, Loki and Hogun were leaning forwards, barely even blinking. Finally, the few invited members of the court had expressions similar to either the elders or Loki. Eydís smiled internally.

"But I have strayed a little too much from my original story, have I not?", she commented. "So, going back to how I ended up in Asgard…"

"Wait!", everyone was surprised by the loud voice that interrupted the Princess. Out of all the invitees, this was one of the few which actually surprised the crowd under the present circumstances. "So, what happened to the girl?"

Some of the present smiled, some snorted, a few more actually laughed at the innocent question.

"Were you not the first one to complain about the story's course Volstagg?", Loki wondered.

"Well,… I mean… is it not wise to change our points of view?", he said with a blush.

Now everyone laughed lightly and the Princess proceeded.

"There is not much left to tell really. At first, the girl was quiet but as time went by, her restless mind began to get bored so she began talking to the crystal none stop. She talked and asked and wondered out loud until she fell asleep once again. The old lady came to her again showing a glowing smile and a huge disposition for answering her questions. Still, time went by very quickly, making the night turn to day and thus, awakening the young one.

"There was too much she wanted to know so, she decided to remain in the cavern for a while longer, making a routine for herself during day time and talking to the old woman at night. The biggest and most recurrent question of all: what was it like before? The old woman always smiled kindly and responded with different tales every time. After almost a month of concealment, the girl realized she needed to go back to her family, she had spent too much time in the cavern, but for the first time, she realized something important. She assimilated her finiteness as a human and the short span of time she would actually might have with the Being. She wished she had more time with It.

"The woman voiced her thoughts and, to her surprise, the being agreed with her. It had been so long since It felt whole, not alone anymore that the thought of losing Its first and only friend saddened It. 'Can you not do something about it?', the human asked.

'There might be a way, though you must understand that it will come at a price. Do you still wish to go on?', It responded.

"After a moment's thought, she nodded her agreement. 'What do you need of me?'.

'I shall grant you a spark of my power. This will, most likely, elongate your life though I am unsure of any other side effects. I have never attempted this before'.

"The woman trembled a little at the prospect but she really wanted this. She wanted knowledge almost as much as she wanted to keep listening to the old woman's stories. 'What do you need of me?', she asked again to emphasize her agreement. The old lady proceeded to explain.

'I am unsure your body would be able to hold even this spark inside it and I will not risk placing myself in you but there might be another way. See all this crystals around me in the cavern?', the girl nodded, 'They have been absorbing my power for centuries now, they might just be strong enough. Take one, craft it anyway you would like and hold it high above your head. I will do the rest. Once I am done, be sure to always have it near you.'

"She woke up and did as told. Considering she would have to have the crystal near her, at all times from then on, she opted for a small quartz that needed really very little working on. She spent the whole day on that until she created a small pendant that could hang loose over her chest. Happy with the results, the woman held the small thing high above her head and a single ray of light ignited on it. The quartz swallowed the power until it had a glow of its own. The woman was astonished with the result but felt blessed. She remained there for yet another day and began her way down the next morning after one last chat with the old lady.

"The lady pointed out what the exposition to her power had caused to her body but the girl discarded any apology for she was far happier to have taken the chance. She had decided that any side effects would be worth it if she could live a little longer to hear the old lady. Still, they agreed that given the physical changes she had gone through, she should have a new name. After all, how many times would a mighty change like this could happen to someone?

"They thought for very long about it, discussed it but, in the end, it was the human's choice. The old lady placed a kiss on the girl's forehead and said her farewells. The girl woke up and began the way down. All the journey back home she kept thinking about her new name and, suddenly, upon seeing her village, her mind settled. Somehow, now she knew who she was supposed to be and who she wanted to become. She embraced that feeling fiercely and walked resolutely towards her tent.

"Her family, having been worried sick, received her with a great smile. They were surprised indeed because, not only her hair had changed color, now she simply felt different. They tried to call out her old name but she stopped them and said: 'I am not that person any longer. From now on, my name is Atlantea'.

"Thereby, she became the very first of our kind. Our history began with her and thanks to her, the Being found its way out of the cave and into the hearts of humankind like It wanted. It began thriving on the collective emotions of everyone that accepted It. Its power grew and so did atlantean civilization. We are bound to It just as much as It is now bound to us because that was the silent pact Atlantea and the Being made long ago.

With that, Eydís finished her tale, having everyone actually quite interested but quiet. Absorbing all the new information, until…

"So, how did you end up in Asgard?", Volstagg asked again.

The Princess smiled.

"Simple. Because It is the Original Being, the Great Crystal retained some of the power of the other gems. It can manipulate space and time just as much as it could alter the reality. It is capable of expanding our minds just as much as It can empower our bodies so we can have a longer life. And that is also why It is responsible for the absorption of some of the souls of our people. Matim, for instance", she made a pause to let her words sink in and sharing a quick, sad look with Kida and her Tabtop. "In other words the Great Crystal sent me to where and when It thought best for me to grow up in. I ended up in that wood at the exact moment that the asgardian royalty was nearby because It knew that they would be there and I would be safe with them. But also because It says that I needed to be there at that time".

"Why?", Loki asked.

"That, It did not say brother. I am sorry".

For a moment all was quiet, that is, before Fandral, Volstagg and Thor began fooling like they always did in order to break the silence. The rest of the meal was uneventful but there was a lot more to think about now and much to add to the history books.


	12. Advise

A/N: A series of letters between Eydís and Sammy through the years. This was fun to write because I had to become both characters and think like them. In the end I liked the results. Hope you like it as well.

* * *

" _May 17, 1921._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I know you told me that you would be very busy during the next few days but I really, really, really had to write to you. You see, it's my dad. He hasn't been feeling very well lately and no one wants to tell me what is wrong. I know my mommy and granny know but they just won't tell me. Why? Can you heal him with your magic? Please, pretty please?_

 _I promise to study very hard, to do all my chores, to pick up my toys and to come back home early in the evening if you make him all better. Granny has told me that I should pray more and ask God for a miracle. I swear I have been doing so but God hasn't answered my prayers yet and my daddy is just getting sicker. Please, I will do anything you ask if you help us. You are my last hope._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _May 17th, 1921._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _I have been aware of your father's illness for quite some time now and I need to tell you that I have not find a doctor good enough for him. If your mother and grandmother do not wish to burden you with the knowledge, you must respect their decision. I will not tell you exactly what is it that your father is suffering either out of respect towards them but know it is something strange even to me._

 _Still, do not lose hope. You should never ever give up. I give you my word, I will find a cure or someone that can come up with such a thing. Your father will live. Please do not cry out of fear. Instead of feeling like a burden to your family, become their pillar. Show your family that you are powerful enough to overcome this adversity for you are absolutely sure that the outcome of this problem will be positive._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse._

 _P.S.: I am sorry if I do not answer you as quickly on the next few days. There is a huge event coming up soon and I have been driven almost to insanity because of it but be sure that I will read all of your letters."_

 _-o-_

" _Jun. 1, 1921._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I don't know whether or not you are still busy but I can't take this anymore. We need you. My daddy needs you. I need you. Please, please, please come and make things better. My daddy is getting worse everyday. My mommy cries almost every night and my grandma doesn't even smile anymore._

 _Please._

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _June 3rd, 1921._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _I apologize for the long silence. There is no valid excuse for my actions but do not despair. I have not forgotten about you and your family. How could I? I have been gathering all of the information about your father's sickness and running many tests in order to come up with the best medicine for him._

 _I want you to be the first one to know. I think our special healer has found a cure. We will send you the vial soon, I promise. I am proud of you. You have held your ground for this past few weeks very well, but I need you to hold on just for a little longer. Can you do that for me? Everything will turn up for the best._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Jun. 5, 1921._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _We received the medicine yesterday and daddy has been taking it just as instructed. I'm very happy to tell you that, even if it's only been a day, he looks so much better now. Thank you Nisse. I knew you could save him. I love you very much Nisse. Also, I wanted to tell you that I've asked mommy if I can be daddy's nurse so I made sure that he took his medicine on time. She looked at me in a very funny way and told me that only women are nurses and men are doctors. When I asked why she said it was because that's how things worked. Is that true? Is that how things are in big cities? Anyways it was nice to hear from you again Nisse._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _June 6th, 1921._

 _Dearest Sammy,_

 _Firstly, I am so glad that the potion worked. I never doubted my healer's ability for she has never let us down. I wish I had been there to help more but I still think it soon to reveal myself to you and your family. My apologies to you._

 _Secondly, that is a lie. It has come to my knowledge that, even if few in number, there are female doctors and I am sure that one day there will be as many women as there are men. Not just in the healing arts but in the rest of the professions as well. Be sure to be always nice and never, ever underestimate the potential of anyone. It matters not whether they are males, females, tall, short or simply different from us. We all have the same chances of becoming our best self. Always remember that._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Jun. 7, 1921._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _Wow! I can't believe it but if you say so then it must be true. I promise you that I will try to live up to those words. I promise I will be good to the girls or other people. I promise you._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy._

 _P.S.: I know what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a doctor"._

 _-o-_

" _June 7th, 1921._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _That is a very noble calling. I shall fully support you should you still wish to become a doctor when you get older._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Apr. 14, 1926._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _How are you? I have been very well. I'm still going to Ms. Evans house to get my education and you know what, I hate math. It's so hard. I don't like it but mommy says that it is very important that I learn how to do, at least, basic math so, I'm stuck with this horrible subject. My other classes are fine I guess but, could you help me now and then? Please, pretty please?_

 _I have also recently found one of your gifts to my mom. The one about the flowers and how to grow them but I have found very interesting the part where it talks about how flowers can heal, how they can be transformed into medicine. Do you have any more books about the topic? Can I see them? Do they have pictures? And talking about pictures did you receive the ones I did? Did you like them? By the way, I think I had never asked before but, when is your birthday? I'm sorry not to have asked before but I can send you gifts on that day if you let me and also make up for the lost time. May I?_

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _April 15th, 1926._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _I am very good, thanks for asking. Things have been working very smoothly as of late and I am happy because of it. I agree with you that numbers can be hard at times but I also agree with your mother about this, mathematics are basic in this world. I suggest you try paying as much attention as you can to Ms. Evans but if you still find yourself in trouble do to lack of understanding, I will try to help you out._

 _Nevertheless, I must warn you something. I will do my best to explain but I will, in no way, do the things for you, am I clear? This is your education we are talking about and if you still wish to fulfill your dream of becoming a doctor, you must give your best without expecting anyone else to fix your own problems. If you understand this, I am sure that you will be one step closer to your goal for which I am already happy._

 _About the other matter, I do have some more material to read but I fear it is a little too advanced for you. I will try to make it simpler for your understanding and will give you some copies of the books when you prove yourself ready. Herbology is a highly complicated but beautiful skill to learn._

 _Lastly, I have loved the pictures you made so far. You got a natural talent for that too. I understand why the question never came up before and I would be delighted to receive your gifts. My name day is on September the second, be sure to remember._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Jul. 14, 1929._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _Today during the service I've met the most beautiful girl in the world. Her skin is so shinny and smooth, except for the freckles on her nose. She has long, golden hair and such magical eyes. Sometimes when I saw them they were blue, sometimes they were green and sometimes they were hazel. I tell you, magical. She has such divine smile and she looked like a dream with that flowered, white dress._

 _I wanted to approach her to just say hi, to know her name and talk casually but I simply couldn't. My legs wobbled and they wouldn't respond to my commands. Then she walked right past me and I wanted to say goodbye but I was unable to produce a single sound. I think I'm in love, am I in love? Because it certainly feels the way it's described in the stories you have shared with me._

 _What do I do? What do I say? Should I have a new hairstyle? What should I wear? Should I shave like my dad? I need your help Nisse so I'll be waiting patiently._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _July 15th, 1929._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _Do not panic. Though I have yet to feel it myself, I can assure you that everything you describe sounds very accurate to that of an infatuation. That is quite common at your age so it is entirely normal. On my part I think that just the way you look now is handsome enough. Please, do not try and shave with your father's razors, you do not need it so stay away from those._

 _Now, firstly, a greeting would be very appropriate. Just a simple 'hello' should do. Do not stress yourself by trying to exaggerate or ornament your sentences too much. Keep it short and simple._

 _Secondly, ask for her name. Very important indeed. Also, if she is new in town, as I am quite aware she is, offer her to show some places that you like and/or find beautiful. If she agrees just lead her, eventually conversation might come up. Try to find some similar subjects or pastimes (there must be something you have in common) and talk about that. If you have absolutely nothing in common but you still want to court her, ask her why she has arrived in Medora, ask about her likes, her friends and previous life and simply listen to her. I can bet that she would value someone who would simply listen far more than someone that brags about themselves._

 _Lastly, probably the most important advice I can give you: BE YOURSELF, because if you are caught in a lie of who you are, there is a very good chance that you will not be forgiven so have that in mind. You have asked for my counsel and I am giving it to you. I hope it is enough. Be sure to write to me about the outcome of this plan of yours. I shall wait as patiently as I can._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse._

 _P.S.: If in order to gain her favor, she asks you to try and change your essence, she is unworthy of you."_

 _-o-_

" _Jul. 21, 1929._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I write quickly to tell you the news. Today we went to the service again and I saw her. She was gorgeous in that lavender dress and her hair all loose around her face. She looked like an angel but, the point being I mustered as much courage as I could and approached her. Her name is Charlotte Rye and she comes from Kansas. It was terrifying at first to speak with her but as time went by, it got easier. I invited her to see my favorite spots in town and she accepted!_

 _She told me that she was the eldest of her family. She has moved here with her mom and two of her sisters while they wait for her father and the rest of her siblings. Charlotte says they might be here in 2 or 3 more weeks. Wish me luck for tomorrow._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _January 6th, 1933._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _Happy Name Day! I am so proud and happy for you. Your 18th winter is finally here for which I can only assume you will move forwards with your plans and I shall keep my end of the bargain. In the envelope, you will find enough money for the journey as well as the housing and food expenses. Be sure to keep on studying along the road._

 _I wish you the best of lucks. Please keep me informed of everything and say hello to Lady Charlotte from me._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Jan. 20, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I've settled down in the room you got for me. It's really nice and cozy. I'm so nervous. Monday is a very big day (as you already know) so I will keep on studying but I already feel my brain has reached its limit. What can I do? Could you tell me a story? I need something to distract me._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy._

 _P.S.: How are Lottie and my family?"_

 _-o-_

" _January 20th, 1933._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _Panic is your worst enemy at present. Stay calm and trust your abilities. It must not just be me who trusts that brain of yours. I would highly advise that you stop studying at once. To overload your mind will earn you nothing. Relax a little, go out and know your neighborhood, have a snack. You can do it._

 _Now, about your loved ones, they obviously miss you a lot. Your grandmother is preparing something special for your return and Lady Charlotte is helping out. I am so happy for you. She is definitely worthy of you. I will not divulge what is it that they prepare, but I am most certain that you will like it when you see it. Your father is praying a lot with your mother, I can bet that they will ask for a special mention of you at the service._

 _A story? Would a personal one do? When I was about to come of age, my brothers were so excited that they questioned me nonstop about my future specialization. You see, when we reach this point in our lives, we already have years of study and practice on general grounds so the next step helps us focus our best abilities and enhance them to the fullest. While it is true that we can choose more than one specialty while we are alive, the first one is very important._

 _During the previous three days I was unable to sleep properly, panic a constant presence in my mind. 'What if I choose wrong?', I thought. My mother noticed my distress and came to me. She sweetly explained that, even if important, it was not the end of the world. I had the right to make mistakes and I could even change my specialty if I wanted to (as last resource, of course) but that I should not choose with my mind but rather with my intuition. She also told me that I should allow my mind some rest if I wanted to make a wiser choice. Therefore, that night I asked her to sing to me my favorite lullaby. To this day, it is one of the best nights I have had. The next day, when I came of age I chose with my intuition as she had advised, turns out I made a great choice. I have no regret on that account._

 _Morale: Give all you have on the right day, no need to be stressed prematurely and allow the intuition to have an opinion, most of the times, it gives the right answer._

 _I hope this helps you. Rest now._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Jan. 23, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _It's done. Let us pray for the best. I think it went well. Like you said, I knew the answers to almost all of it and the rest I left it to my intuition to decide. Thanks for the books and the study sessions. Now we must wait but I'll be leaving for Medora this evening._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _January 23rd, 1933._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _I am positive that everything shall be fine. Take care on your journey back home, we will be waiting._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _May 17, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I GOT IN! I've been accepted into New York Medical College! According to the letter I'm expected there on September 4. They have given me a book list and a material list that I should have already bought by the time I get started. I would really like to do the shopping myself, may I?_

 _I also wanted to tell you that I've saved up some money so you won't have to pay for everything this time. Let me help. Besides, there's a special something I wish to buy in addition to the list so please bear with me. I bet you already know what I'm talking about but keep it a secret for now. Please, pretty please._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _May 17th, 1933._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _You have yet again proved me right. I am so proud of you as I am sure your family is as well. I shall respect your wishes, worry not._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _May 30, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I hereby invite you to my wedding. Lottie accepted my proposal and we would be honored to welcome you on this very important occasion. We have decided to get married before I have to go to New York so we would be leaving together. The wedding will be celebrated on August 20. I know it is a little tight scheduled but I really hope you can make it. We would be very happy to finally get to meet you in person._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _August 17th, 1933._

 _My dearest Sammy,_

 _You are aware of just how much you and your family are important to me but I am unable to attend to the wedding due to a personal matter. Still, I wish you both lots of happiness and a wonderful day. Be sure to await my letter that shall come to you in the box of iron. I will properly congratulate you both then._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _August 20th, 1933._

 _To the newly weds,_

 _I would like to wish you both a happy life together. I take this chance to present myself somehow formally to you Lady Charlotte Baker. You may call me Nisse as everyone else in this beautiful family does and I put myself at your service. For years I have been looking after Lady Kraft and her descendants and be sure that this help now extends to you as well. I am aware that they have mentioned my existence in more than one occasion but I can assure you that I am quite real. If I was unable to make it in person to this very special day was due to a personal matter._

 _I have no doubts that you are eager to start your own lives yet feel uneasy to leave behind all that you have known so far. I am sure that even though it will be a little tough at first, things will get easier with time._

 _If you allow me to give some advice I say to you: always speak up your minds. Not in a savage, uncaring way, indeed, but in a blunt and comprehensible manner. As my parents always say: 'Effective communication is the base to a long lasting marriage'. I can vow for that because I have seen them together for what seems an eternity now. But lets not talk about me, after all, this is your day._

 _On the back of this letter I have written an address so you can retrieve my wedding gift though you can decide whether or not to accept it once you see it for yourselves. Please feel free to let me know what you think of it and again, congratulations on your wedding._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Aug. 29, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _The flat is amazing! I can barely believe just how beautiful it is. I especially like the location and Lottie fell in love with it the moment we walked in. The furniture, the kitchen, the bedroom, even the bedsheets are amazing. Lottie almost fainted when the lawyer came with the papers to make this whole place ours. Thank you very much, this has everything we need to start our life here in the city._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy._

 _P.S.: I also thank you in advance for the small fund you left me in my nightstand's drawer. I will go out tomorrow and look for the rest of my school material."_

* * *

A/N2: I would like to indulge myself here and point out that the character of Lottie was inspired by a friend of mine. She has written a nice FFN about Candy Candy inserting the original version of this character and I asked her permission to use her as Sammy's wife mainly because I love both characters individually and, in my mind, it seemed right to pair them up. If you're interested in her fic it's a story in spanish called "Memorias de mi amado". Check it out.


	13. New York

A/N: AAAAAAAHHH! I totally forgot to upload this yesterday. I'm sorry. DX

* * *

It was 2pm sharp, according to the wall clock, and Lottie was done with her chores. The flat was clean, the meal was on the stove, the laundry was done and she had finished folding and ironing. It had definitely been a busy morning and now she was just waiting for her husband to come back from school. This had been her routine for the past month and a half and, to be honest, she was getting bored of it. The apartment which had appeared like a palace to her in the beginning with all the victorian styled furniture, the modern kitchen and the comfortable location, was more like a cage to her now. One made of gold but a cage nonetheless.

During the first week in New York, Sam had been with her all the time. They had gone out a couple of times to get acquainted with the neighborhood, they found a nice store to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from, along with a decent butcher shop and a bakery. They had also found a couple of nice stores to get books, candies and some other things but the main point, was that they had each other, they were the new ones in town but they had each other. Now, with Sam absent most of the day, she felt alone and utterly bored.

Sure, there were some new books in the mahogany bookshelf along with some that this mysterious Nisse had left but it wasn't enough for her. She had already read a couple of the stories because Sam had pointed them out as being really good ones. They had been, no doubt but she wasn't the kind of girl that just sat around and did nothing with her time. That's mostly why the house had always been impeccable and the food always on time. Her Sam always thanked her for that in more than one way and she loved him even more for it.

Still, sometimes she couldn't help to think that she didn't belong here, that she should go back to Medora. There at least, she would be able to have more space to run or to stroll around, no matter if she was alone or not. Some other times she wished she was already with child so that she could have someone to talk to. That particular day she was lying on the couch, looking at the ceiling, contemplating all of her possibilities and options. She sighed.

"I'm bored", she finally managed to say out loud. It was the very first time she accepted the fact and was afraid she would be unable to live like this for, at least, five more years. Month and a half already felt like an eternity. Little did she know that she had been observed and heard.

Next morning she went down looking for any mail. She hoped to get some correspondence from Medora some time soon so she checked every morning after saying goodbye to Sam. That day there were indeed some letters, finally. Four from her sisters, one from her mother, one from her mother-in-law and a last one with no return address but directed to her. She took them all up.

Like the curious young woman she had always been, she was highly intrigued by the last letter in particular. Lottie could guess whom it was from but her mind fought hard to deny the fact for two particular reasons: 1) Nisse had never wrote to her, not direct and exclusively to her; 2) She didn't (or rather couldn't) believe the story of the Nisse. Who could? A magical, mythical creature that had looked after a family for years, ensuring they never lacked anything asking nothing in return and the family having never taken advantage of that fact? It was hard to believe. Lottie wanted to but her logic had denied her the joy to join into her husband's fantasies.

What was most likely to have happened is that the father made the whole story up so they could cope with the idea of him not earning but enough to maintain the family through the years and having made some deal under the water to ensure their survival. Also to feed Sam's imagination and belief in magic throughout his childhood, making it somehow brighter.

Nevertheless, the fact that the farce had lasted so long made Lottie dubious. Why allow this fantasy to live even though Sam was no longer a little boy? He was a married man studying to be a doctor for heaven's sake. Most people in Medora gossiped about the fact behind the family's back but no one had been able to actually understand where all the money came from. The bank? Even a simple provincial girl like her was well aware of the economic problems the country was facing. But perhaps the biggest question of all was, why did Sam still believed so firmly in the existence of this thing? Odd indeed.

Lottie tried not to succumb to her curiosity and left the letter on a small table next to the couch along with the one from Mrs. Baker, taking the others in her hands and opening one by one. The four letters from her sisters were rather short and very enthusiastic. They asked lots of questions about the mysterious gift, where were they living and the city in general. They also said that they missed her a lot and wished they could at least visit once the couple was perfectly settled down.

The next letter she opened was her mother's. This was less enthusiastic and a bit more serious. It was full of little tips and recommendations for her as a newly wed wife, simple recipes, house chore hacks and finishing the missive with an indirect plea for grandchildren. Lottie knew how much her parents wanted grandchildren, almost as much as she wanted to have babies, now more than ever. Even though the first week they had barely separated, Lottie was still uncertain about whether or not she was pregnant. She would still need one more week to find out.

The woman looked to the ceiling and left the correspondence by her side, taking in all the information and allowing nostalgia to set on her chest. A knot forming in her throat, tears suddenly pooling in her eyes. She missed them, her family, but she had decided to follow her husband and help him fulfill his dream. She didn't want to make him uncomfortable or guilty with her feelings so she would have to suck it up.

Tears had already began trailing down when she looked to the side to the last letter directed to her. _Oh, what the devil_ , she thought reaching out for the envelope. The paper was the same kind as that of the letter they received on their wedding day. It felt really soft but was a bit thick. Lottie was unsure of exactly where this Nisse got this paper from. Nowhere near Medora, that was for sure. She began reading:

" _October 17th, 1933._

 _Dearest Lady Charlotte,_

 _It has come to my attention that you have found yourself bored due to the lack of activities and acquaintances that you used to know. I understand how complicated this might be to you. To start over in a different place, a completely unknown place and I wanted you to know that you can count me as an ally. You may rely on me. Feel free to talk with me, I will always be listening or if it makes you feel better I will give you a special gift so you can write to me. But beware if you choose the latter. This communication method is for your use and mine solely. It should be kept a secret. I am not telling you to hide the nature of our relationship to Sammy, only the method of communication, for the time being._

 _Now, I have not visited New York City in a while but I remember some things that might be of your interest. In example two blocks south from your flat there is a small theater. The person I went with the first time took me there. They had this beautiful and tragic play about a couple from different families, enemy families, that could only find love with each other. I believe it was named: Romeo and Juliet. I had never seen anything like it although I am quite sure that the story is more familiar to you. I believe the company is representing another play now, so you could always go and watch some theater if you wish to entertain yourself._

 _Other than theater, there is an academy close by (approximately five blocks east and two north from your place) which imparts practical lessons in sewing, knitting, confection and those sort of things. Or there is this other place to learn art if you like that better. Up to my knowledge these people give lessons of how to use different music instruments, how to sing or how to paint with different techniques. If you are interested you can always go ask for information do not worry about the money. I think this could help you meet other people at the same time you alleviate some of the boredom and frustration that you have accumulated so far._

 _Once again I reiterate my disposition of becoming friends, or at least acquaintances. I hope you agree. If you would like for us to exchange correspondence, place a lock of hair in an envelope and leave it in the iron box. I shall contact you soon enough._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

Lottie blinked and stared at the signature for a minute, unsure. Did she really feel so lonely and desperate to actually play along this game? She wondered but past a minute she decided it was worth the try. After all, what else could she lose? Her sanity? Fair price for what she was about to do.

The new Mrs. Baker got up from the couch and went straight to the bathroom where she knew that she had left a pair of scissors. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time and she trimmed a lock of her golden mane. She was careful not to cut too much or too close to her face so that Sam wouldn't notice. Not that she wasn't going to tell him but she thought that this arrangement would end up (most likely) with her either unraveling the farce or finding out that the Nisse was actually real. Her logic self insisted that all this was due to the former but her true self prayed it was the latter. How much more interesting could her life be if it were the latter?

Lottie smiled as she ran down stairs to place the envelope. Through her mind came up the possibility of just waiting around to see who the mysterious Nisse was but the idea of being discovered by Sam so soon in the game dragged her back to the flat. To play this game, she needed to be patient.


	14. Lottie

A/N: I really wanted to explore a little more with Lottie and her inevitable relationship with the mysterious Nisse. I didn't intend to make her an antagonist in any way but I found quite normal her reasons not to truly believe in Sam's "fairytale". I hope you like to know a little more about the relationship about these two, one of which, doesn't know that the other is a female as well XD.

* * *

" _Dec. 8, 1933._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _The play you suggested was really good. I laughed a lot. Never actually thought it to be possible when we talk about Shakespeare but I did. This little theater will one day be huge if they keep up like this. It was almost full this time. Again, thank you._

 _As for the classes, I think you were right too: Violin is NOT my calling. Thanks for talking me out of buying the instrument. I think I now understand why my in-laws never had more than they should. It's not about wanting but rather about needing. You give in the same measure they need and just a little more but never too much as to make them greedy. Smart. If I were you I don't think I would be able not to spoil them. Especially Sam. Although I can see he is your favorite by far, isn't he?_

 _I'm sorry. Did I sound disrespectful? I don't mean to be disrespectful but it's nice to have someone to talk to again. I don't mean that I haven't met new people thanks to you or that I still have no friends. On the contrary, I have met so many people that I could make a party one of this days and our place would be full. But I think, for some strange reason, that you know me better. To be honest, it's a bit scary but I guess that desperate times call for desperate measures. Again, no disrespect intended. I'm very happy about this understanding and I wish for the letters to keep coming and going._

 _Love,_

 _Lottie._

 _P.S.: Still no child coming yet."_

 _-o-_

" _December 9th, 1933._

 _My dearest Lottie,_

 _I know just how much you wish to have a baby in you life but perhaps your body is trying to tell you something. Perhaps you are not ready yet but enjoy all the things that come from the lack of a child and, when the time comes, enjoy raising your children. I am sure you will be amazing parents. Be patient._

 _I am more than pleased to hear you say that you liked the play and be sure that I truly liked that small theater back on the day and agree with you, one day, it will be huge. That author surely knows how to write a tragedy so a comedy was very welcomed as a change, I agree as well. Also, Thank you for considering my words and finding out that your call is not the violin though I must say that I think you have quite a skill with the piano. Give it a little more time and practice, I bet your professor and you will be surprised in the end._

 _No disrespect has been taken because there was none to forgive. I understand this is how you are and, to be frank, I am very happy too to have a friend who speaks (or rather writes) to me with such freedom and transparency. I like that. Please, I beg of you, keep being yourself and do not be scared. I would never harm you or do anything to harm Sammy. You are right by the way, I kind of have a small favoritism for this young boy so be sure to take good care of him._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _May 14, 1935_

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _Summer is close and, like every year, I'm very anxious to see my family again. It's been so long. I wish we had a piano in the house so that I could show them all what I have learned but I know what you would say: the piano would take away space from my parents' home and it's not something they need. I know, I know._

 _Anyways, did you hear the news? One of my younger sisters is going to get married. I'm so excited to go back and help her out with all the details. I know how time consuming that is and how hard without the proper advice so, wish me luck. Hope to hear from you soon Nisse._

 _Love,_

 _Lottie."_

 _-o-_

" _May 15th, 1935._

 _My dear Lottie,_

 _I was aware that there were rumors but now that you confirm the story I can pay more attention to that. Congratulations for your sister I am very joyful about your own happiness and I would strongly suggest that you go into the church if you wish to practice. I am very sure that people there will appreciate your skills more. Have a safe trip back._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Sep. 9, 1937._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _There is no easy way to tell you this. I haven't even told Sam. I'm scared and so sad. As you suggested, I went to the doctor a while back to see why I haven't been able to get pregnant. He told me that I can't. Something wrong with my uterus or something like that. Nisse, I can't stop crying. Ever since I got the results it's the only thing that I had been able to do. I'm writing to you partly to tell you, partly because I wanted to do something else and partly because you are my last hope._

 _I admit I had my doubts in the beginning. I really thought that this was a trick from Sam and his family but through the years I had been having less and less doubts. I'm sure that you are real and right now I need to believe, more than ever, that anything is possible. I need to believe in magic like when I was a small girl, I need to believe in miracles the same way Sam does because I'm sure that you are one of those miracles._

 _I'm begging. Please, help us. Help me make our dream come true. Help me get my family. I won't ask for anything else if you are able to help us, please._

 _Love,_

 _Lottie."_

 _-o-_

" _September 9th, 1937._

 _My beloved Lottie,_

 _I can not possibly begin to understand how you are feeling right now. I hate to think that I could fail you, disappoint you so I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to help out. Rest assured that, somehow, you will have a family of your own. Both of you deserve it. I need to cut short for now but trust that I'm always watching and that next time we get in contact I will have something to offer. Do not lose hope, not yet._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse._

 _P.S.: Do not be afraid of telling Sammy, he will understand."_

 _-o-_

" _Sep. 12, 1937._

 _Nisse,_

 _How dare you? You knew and you said nothing, didn't you? You were supposed to be my Nisse, my friend, not hers. I'm so angry right now I can't even write properly, my hands shake with rage. You should've told me. It was your duty, you should've told me first. About the doctor, about the results, everything. Why did she turn to you instead of me? Why didn't she trust me? Why did she trust you? How are you communicating with each other? Did you give her the same paper you gave me?_

 _You know what? Forget about me, about my family, about everything that has to do with us. Leave us alone!"_

 _-o-_

" _Sep. 14, 1937._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I'm so sorry about my last letter. I was so angry and hurt and sad. I don't know what got into me. You've never done anything to hurt my family and this is no exception I'm sure. I took it all out on you and that wasn't fair. Please forgive me._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _Sep. 19, 1937_

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I can't remember a time I had to wait so long for an answer from you (except when I was only a boy and you wrote to the family once a month). You know I wasn't serious that day, don't you? Please, don't get angry with me._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _Sep. 25, 1937._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I can't go on with all this prolonged silence. Please, please, please, answer me if only to know what you think of me or to end our friendship. Please, answer me. I need you. I need your advice. I need your wisdom to deal with Lottie's condition. Please. I'm not mad that you and her are friends, why would I? I always knew you would get along. Please, don't leave us._

 _Love,_

 _Sammy."_

 _-o-_

" _September 29th, 1937._

 _My dearest Lottie,_

 _I got it. Or at least I think I do. I have been doing an exhaustive investigation within my homeland's archive. I wanted to know if there had been any case similar to yours and what treatment did the women receive. It has been very complicated. The cases were scarce and the treatments even less documented but I think I finally found what we need. I read it and gave it to our greatest healer in order to try and replicate the procedure. Apparently, that time it was successful so I am hoping that in your case it will be as well. This is very important and I need you to follow the vial's instructions to the last letter. It is of ultimate importance._

 _I also need to full warn you about something. The document was very old and hard to read I am unsure of whether or not this will work. I certainly hope for the best but I can not be sure at all. What I am completely positive about is that this treatment will take time. Do not expect it to work with the first dose or even the first vial, give it time and let us pray that this will be the answer to everything._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _September 29th, 1937._

 _My most beloved Sammy,_

 _How could I possibly be angry with you? I adore you. You have been my charge even before you were born and a note written in pain and anger will never push me away from you. I understand and I am truly sorry. If I kept quiet it was only due to my friendship to Lottie, she asked for my discretion so I gave it to her. As for the time it took me to respond to each and every one of your notes it was precisely because of my love to your family. I was researching for a way to treat Lottie's condition. I am sure that she will tell you all the details once you arrive home so be patient._

 _And worry not, I will always be here to look after you._

 _Love,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _May 9, 1938._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _As you very well know, Sam is only a couple of weeks away from terminating his studies. None of this would have been possible without your support. I'm still unsure about when the graduation ceremony is taking place exactly but I'm sure he would love to count you upon the invited. I know I do but this is Sam's ceremony after all._

 _You know, I've always pictured you like the old man you probably are. I guess I see some sort of grandparent in you. I don't mean this as an insult in any way possible. Actually, I loved my grandparents and leaving them back in Kansas is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. Sure, I still write to them but it's not the same, mainly because it takes so long to get the news. I can bet anything I posses that if I had known sooner about my grandfather's illness, I would have been able to say goodbye properly._

 _But don't let me make this celebration letter a sad letter. The point is that we would really like to meet you in person and thank each and every favor you had done for us so far. Think about it and let us know._

 _Love,_

 _Lottie."_

 _-o-_

" _May 10th, 1938._

 _My most beloved Lottie,_

 _I was fully aware of Sammy's graduation but due to a terrible amount of workload I will be unable get out of my study any time soon. I will try but I can not promise you I will be able to make it. Please forgive me but know that I am very proud and happy for both of you._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_


	15. Decisions

A/N: I really hope this chapter is not so confusing. I was aiming for one thing but got carried away by something else entirely. Still I think this chap was necessary for the development of certain things I have planned to come to pass later. Any questions feel free to ask.

Enjoy!

* * *

There had been rumors, whispers and hushed voices telling the obvious but not daring to say it too loud in fear of making the suspicions a reality. It made everyone nervous and stand on edge. Things were complicated enough as it was. The Great Depression having taken its toll even in Whitmore Industries. True, many had been able to keep their jobs thanks to very important sums of money that a mysterious associate and recently pronounced stockholder injected to the company but it had been definitely been reduced.

Nevertheless, what many called a tragedy, Mr. Whitmore had called an opportunity and, apparently, with this associate, they had both been able to diversify the industry successfully into the grounds of medicine before the economic problems started. It all began with a clinic in Washington D.C. focused to treat patients with less income at a reasonable price. They found a lot of fertile ground to cover there.

Since the clinic was insufficient, it was decided to open two more in the same city and one more in Richmond. By the end of the twenties, there were eighteen clinics fully functional along the eastern coast and the first hospital was opened to public in New York in 1931. It had definitely been hard but it had been worth it. People of lower social classes were able to afford better treatments in big cities thanks to the initiative and the industry was able to employ a lot of people. Although getting the doctors had been quite a challenge.

Turns out that due to the economy, even the universities had a rough time maintaining the number of enrollments high enough to go on. Some colleges had had to close due to the fact that the only career they offered was medicine and it was impossible to sustain the facilities and all those implied with so few students. Therefore, the new medics were scarce and most had the good fortune of having been employed by Whitmore Industries or rather Whitewing Medical Services.

No one knew for sure what made it possible for the WMS to succeed into reducing costs without lowering the quality of the procedures but to Preston Whitmore that was both a secret and a blessing. Turns out that Joseph Baker's illness began even before young Sam Baker ever knew. Some time around the late 1919 but the family paid no attention to it until it was very advanced and, humanly, impossible to treat (at least not with the knowledge of the time). Still, Eydís had seen some signs and had brought forward the idea of the clinics as soon as the concept popped up in a book of Preston's library.

At first, Mr. Whitmore had thought it impossible because, even if he was no expert on the subject, he was sure that the initial investment would have to be very high and the idea of lowering the costs for the patients wasn't a very nice picture. Still, Eydís had kept going. She had already investigated about this part a little and offered him a different vision. The Princess had noticed flaws in the machines and the medicines that only made the costs to increase without solving anything properly (not the mention the awfully long period of time it took for the treatments to work). Therefore, she proposed to make slight modifications to the machines with asgardian technology along with the insertion of asgardian medicine. Eydís made him see just how much more advanced her people were and how the use of some of their methods would help more people without it stopping to be a business.

Preston was very impressed not only with the Princess' insistence but all the previous preparations she had made before she talked to him about the matter. That spoke volumes about her leadership and business management's capacity. Eydís even had a team working on the modifications to the midgardian inventions already. By the time they were done, the team presented all the normal equipment for a clinic with a midgardian façade but a very different operating system on the inside.

The medicines were a similar thing. It was obvious that the potions from Asgard were way more useful and easier to make (if one had the right ingredients and the time) than even penicillin. Furthermore, due to the fact that they were originally meant for more powerful beings than humans, the dosage was even less, which meant that a massive production of the potions was unnecessary. All this points added with Preston's tender heart were enough to be on board of the crazy idea. Eydís was delighted to hear it.

"So, what do you want to call it?", Mr. Whitmore had asked.

"Excuse me?", Eydís was confused.

Preston looked at her pupil for a moment with a knowing smile, "This project. What do you want to call it? Every great idea needs a name you know".

"Why can't it be Whitmore Clinics?", she asked almost immediately. "I want it to be related to Whitmore Industries".

"Because, it wasn't my idea", Eydís blinked for a moment and gave it a moment's thought. "Don't you want it to have your name?"

"No. I would rather remain anonymous for as long as I can. Any of my names or last names would be too obvious. I wish for the first clinic to be named after our head healer: Eir. If this succeeds, and we open more clinics, I wish for each of them to have the name of every person that helped with the modification of the machines".

"Alright, you're getting the idea", Mr. Whitmore said. "But what about the project as a whole?"

The Princess was silent for a moment. Unsure.

"I…", she finally began, "I saw a picture of the caduceus on one of your books. According to my readings this symbol has more to do with commerce than medicine, but in this land, it was confused with the Rod of Asclepius and was chosen to serve as a coat of arms for the army's medics. I liked the white wings in the caduceus so how about using that?"

"Hmph, sounds very good actually", the millionaire thought about it. "Whitewing Medical Services, how does that sound to you?"

"I like it very much but, why make it singular? Why not white wings?", she answered.

"As you may well know, I've already made official the fact that I have an associate, this could be the perfect time to sort of give the public a name. If you listen to it in singular, it reminds more of a last name than if it is in plural, doesn't it?"

"I understand and I agree", a mischievous smile spreading on her face.

It wasn't very long until the doctor they trusted the most came to see them. Both Eydís and Mr. Whitmore presented the idea to him and asked if he could be entrusted the training of the the future workers. Sweet accepted almost immediately. Thus, with Sweet as the main consultor and instructor for the personnel, the idea of the clinic was molded into a more tangible thing until it was finally opened a year later, a pretty, summer day of 1920. It was perfect.

When Joseph Baker's illness became evident, Eydís had already been looking up for his symptoms and the usual treatment so that she could ask for an enhanced medicine back home. It had been hard to coordinate everything considering, by the updates the Princess gave the old man, that Atlantis' reconstruction was almost finished and just as the old empire flourished, Joseph had never been so close to death's doorstep. Luckily, the special medicine Eydís had requested, had been delivered on time and that had gone very well.

Nevertheless, from that point on, Eydís had been more and more interested in the matter of the clinics than before and, eventually, it became obvious why to Mr. Whitmore. He couldn't expect any less from her. The general public was very satisfied as well and they had had more demand than they had first imagined. His contacts in the papers informed him that, as he had suspected, most of the reporters were slightly appeased by the "name" gifted to them and now, all their efforts were bent into finding this magnanimous man.

It amused him none stop that everyone believed that his now ally and partner was a man, never crossing their minds that it was actually a young looking woman from another realm, or something along those lines. The point was that his new right hand was a female and only his Washington's house personnel had a vague idea of who this girl could be and the crew's survivors knew all too well who Eydís really was. But alas, he had to face it, he wasn't getting any younger and by his count he would soon turn ninety four. What was even worse, people seemed to have forgotten the horrors of the great war so soon that already conflict was starting to surge on the horizon once again. He was too old for that.

He had spoken to Eydís about the matter and all parts involved had agreed. They only had to settle a date now. Something symbolic and that allowed them some privacy as well as the necessary broadcasting for such an announcement. At times like these, Preston Whitmore was more than thrilled to have so much competence in the world. All the way from the old known competitors to the potentially capable newcomers and that Stark boy certainly had the spark. He had come from nothing and was quickly making his way all the way to the top. So it was no surprise when it had come to his ears that this man was going to open his first facility sometime in the next year, therefore, he just had to wait a little longer.

When 1939 finally came, all the proper arrangements had been done. Excitement ran through the old man's veins like when he was a young boy. He had always dreamt of adventure and now he was about to go to the greatest one yet, everything properly scheduled, of course. First, the party. Mr. Whitmore had been on the lookout for the exact date in which Howard Stark opened his very first facility. He knew that most part of the attention would be focused on the young genius so the old man spoke personally with just a few of his closest friends in the media to cover his own private event.

Along the media, he also called out for all the workers he had on the most important positions around the country. Since it was going to be the last time he actually appeared in public, he might as well just let some of the newest staff meet him. Although there was a second intention to his decision. He wanted to know what kind of people were taking care of the lower levels. It worried him nonstop that with the size of the company, he hadn't been able to meet with each and every worker like he used to do at the beginning. The invitations had been sent with months anticipation so that the people that lived the furthest, still had time to travel all the way to Washington D.C. for the party.

Second, brindis. At some point in the party, they had planned to give the big announcement. This way, not only, would the press be taken a little unprepared but it would also allow them to tell the story without the continuous interruption of the newspaper's questions. Of course, there were some details that Mr. Whitmore would have to omit or modify in order to make this whole story palpable for the most part of the invitees. If he was honest with himself, he was unsure he would be able to believe the full story himself had he been on the listening side so it was obvious that more questions would arise along with a thin veil of mystery. Good.

Third, the journey. He chose certain hour on which he would "disappear" from the celebration after the announcement. He would get on a car and go to the pier where a ship would be waiting for him and off he would go on his adventure. Should anyone notice his abscess before time and follow there was already a contingency plan to deal with the matter. All he wanted was to get on that ship and lose himself in the sea.

Yeah. It was a good plan and the best part was that he wasn't going alone. Two days before the party, everyone arrived. Each and every member of the old expedition that had a crystal on them. It had not been and easy decision but, in the end, it had been unanimous: they needed to leave but most importantly, they wanted to. The dreads of war were all too present in the men's eyes and the women had lost important people to the idiocy of it. With yet another war coming they just wanted to run away. If the media and Mr. Whitmore's hunches were right, it would be anytime soon.

Eydís had offered them an alternative and they were taking it, no matter what. It was indeed a selfish alternative because they would have to leave their families behind. Mothers, fathers, siblings though they were pretty sure that, should any of them had gotten married it was very probable that their spouses and children would have been allowed in the journey but it wasn't the case.

They sat comfortably at one of the many dining rooms at Mr. Whitmore's house catching up with each other until their host and Eydís walked right in.

"Sorry for the delay. Please, don't stop because of us", Preston said softly as he sat down. Everyone resumed their chats until the food was brought in.

"Do you really think this will work?", Audrey asked.

"I am sure of it", Eydís answered confidently. "We have been carefully planning the whole affair for almost a year now. All will be fine". There was a soothing smile on her face that calmed them all for the most part.

"This will be huge y'know", Sweet said teasingly.

"Which is why we have decided to do it on the same day Stark opens up officially. I guess the papers will find two big stories a little hard to resist which will divide their forces and ensure us some more privacy", Preston smiled knowingly. He hadn't been one of the greatest industrialists of his time just by being nice, he was a very good strategist as well.

"Howard Stark", the Princess rolled the name softly in her mouth, looking up. "He will be a formidable competitor soon", she closed her eyes as if in deep thought for a moment, "but we have more important matters here and now. I would highly suggest that you rest well, the celebration shall be grand and tyring".

Everyone agreed but couldn't help to feel excited again after so many years. Still, what starts is bound to end and so happened that they all drifted to their bedrooms to wait for the big party.


	16. Time has come

A/N: I'm such a disgrace! I forgot to update this on friday but here it is. Almost done with the second arc. Enjoy.

* * *

The morning was a cool one. No one really expected it with the heatwave that April had brought in, it was truly surprising that this precise morning lacked the usual warmth. Maybe, as Eydís had put it a bit poetically, even D.C.'s weather sensed the departure and wished not to smile at the farewell. All present kind of agreed though they were hoping that, at some point, the weather would get better. Perhaps by the time the party started the sun would finally peak out from the thick clouds.

It had been so long since they were all gathered like this. To be entirely honest only the expeditions that had had to do with Atlantis (that is the expedition to Iceland and the search for the city itself) were the two occasions in which they had all been together. Sure, they tried to keep in touch with each other, but it was hard to all be gathered in the same room. That day, it felt right to be together once again.

The last minute details of the party were being polished, the kitchen was filled with outsiders that were working very hard to give the high catering service a party like this required and they all dressed up for the occasion. As they had wished for, the weather improved little by little until the sun shyly appeared from behind the clouds around the same time the invitees started to arrive. Most of the present were grown up men though there were some women too, which pleased Mr. Whitmore that looked how the guests were being seated at the tables in the garden from a window inside the house. Step one was nearly completed. Almost time.

The crew was growing nervous as the number of people invited increased. It was exhilarating at the same time it was paralysing but they knew better than to run away. This had to be done proper and promptly. For a moment, doubts began to grow on their minds: what if the plan didn't work? What if something went wrong? What if they were taking the wrong decision and leaving wasn't the best option? True, most of them had little to no family left in the world but doubts still raised.

"You are hesitating", came the calm voice of the Princess. She wasn't reproaching anyone, simply voicing the majority's thoughts. All eyes fell on her. "Do not worry, all will be well. What is more, your safety is paramount to the mission. Trust us". Her voice was soothing and that helped but didn't clear their minds completely.

"It's not just that", Audrey finally said. The Princess looked at her patiently. "W… what we are about to do today will make people we love sad. I wonder if this is right". The young mechanic looked down, very unlike her. Eydís could sense just how much distress this caused her and the crew as a whole.

"I think I understand and I wish there was another way but I fear there is not. Nonetheless", she placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder, "if you want to back down, there is still time", the royal smiled gently as the invitees kept pouring in the garden. The clock was ticking. "If you go out this house into the party I will assume you have made up your mind and will carry on with plan. If not, then you I will assume you wish to remain here. Does that sound good to you?"A bit hesitantly, every member of the crew nodded, taking a seat on the couches of the room. Thinking and meditating her words. That would really be their last chance to back down.

Outside, the music started to play. The first group of the afternoon, a charming quartet consisting of three women and a man. The melody was pleasant and helped the invitees to cope with the excitement they felt. To most of the present this was their first trip as well as their first formal party ever so they were nervous to make a good impression. Some had bought brand new outfits just for the occasion and some others had traveled for weeks just to be there. It definitely was a grand celebration and everyone was curious about the real purpose of it. The invitation having limited itself to appoint the date, place and time of the party, nothing more, nothing less.

As the place became more and more crowded, the people that had arrived early noticed how almost every seat on the round tables were now occupied but they were even more curious about the long, rectangular table at the farthest point of the garden. Without a doubt, that was going to be Mr. Whitmore's table along with some guests of honor or perhaps his family. No one was really sure.

The private life of the millionaire was a mystery to most of the people present therefore, they ignored whether this man had a family to begin with. The fact had unleashed a series of gossip among all of those who had heard of him. Some said that once he had been very much in love with a foreigner, highborn lady but due to his lack of money when he was young, the lady ended up married to another. This story always had two variants. Some said it was an arranged marriage by the woman's parents transforming the story into a star crossed lover tragedy. Others said the lady was actually only interested in the money and, cold heartedly, dismissed Mr. Whitmore because he was a poor boy in the beginning. Still, both stories agreed that Preston was heartbroken, choosing never to love again and, thus, leaving him with no heir of his own blood.

Another popular belief told that the man married in secret many years before but that his wife had died at childbirth only giving him a girl. And, what kind of leader could be a female? Therefore, he had waited until the daughter married herself and had given him a grandson who would, eventually inherit the whole company. After the WMS' were inaugurated, the theory of the grandson seemed more palpable and the media was hysteric to find the mysterious man's lineage that would (according to them) lead them to Preston Whitmore without a doubt. But to their misfortune, the Whitewings were practically ghosts. Not a single record on any person with that last name in the United States and that was discouraging.

The loud chatter could be heard through all the house (or at least most of it) and Preston sighed deeply before he stepped down to the first floor, convinced of what he was going to do but a little annoyed by the fact that he would have to face so many people. _It's for the best_ , he thought breathing deeply one last time and walking out of the house. The voices died at the sight of the man, even the music stopped. Most eyes were surprised although there were some that were sort of disappointed by what they were looking at. Sure, considering the man's age, he looked splendidly well preserved but he was still a very old man. Preston took in all the looks and began his own judgement.

"Please, by all accounts, don't stop because of me. I've always liked a good party and you will kill it with this much silence", he joked lightly with a warm smile of his. The spell broke and the music resumed. Some men rushed from his seats to greet the man personally while the photographers began taking pictures hurriedly and the reporters screamed question after question with little next to no time to answer at all. This was like a circus with Preston as the main attraction and he was well aware of that fact. He just smiled as he walked to his seat.

It took him a little more than he would have wanted to but finally he sat in the middle, three empty chairs to his left and three to his right. Face resting on his knuckles. Silent but absorbing as much of the people around him as he could.

He was like that for five minutes straight and he finally lifted one of his hand motioning for the media to stop. "I will answer questions once we're complete. If you would be so kind as to let the last invitees in, we would be able to proceed". With some reluctance, said people stopped and went to their appointed seats to wait. They shuffled uneasily. When two full minutes passed by and nothing had changed, some were about to start questioning the old man again. Then, the door opened.

Three men walked down the stairway and sat on Mr. Whitmore's right. The first one was a very tall and muscled afroamerican. The next man was shorter than the first with a long face, short black hair and mustache, eyes half closed as if bored. The last man was, by far, the shortest of the three and round. His face reminded most people of a mouse or some other rodent of the kind. They sat quietly but offered smiles to everyone. Mr. Whitmore received them with a nod.

After a minute, a couple of very old people joined the table. The woman was smoking a cigarette with an expression on her face that looked bored, verging on angry (unlike the man with the moustache that just looked mildly bored). Some even doubted that she ever smiled. The man was the contrary. He was all smiles and exaggerated gestures. They both sat at the millionaire's left leaving an empty seat between them.

Everyone seemed to hold their breaths as the host gave the chair a side glance after two more minutes. He sighed and smiled to the rest of the audience, "I guess…", he cut short when the final guest of honor made her way down to the garden and took her place. She was the youngest of the table. A latina with dark hair and tan skin.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I got lost in the house", some laughed lightly as she smiled and the old man beamed with pride knowingly.

"No harm done. Now: Bring out the food!", he instructed and, at once, the waiters and waitresses began serving from silver trays a banquet fit for kings.

All the present ate their fill. From the soup all the way to the variety of desserts. Wine was also served always alternated with some water so the guests wouldn't get that much drunk before the big announcement. Preston smiled as he played with his empty glass of wine. There would be some adjustments to make about the personnelle but that was something he would speak with Eydís privately, after she was done with her personal judgement. The thought widened his smile an inch more as he noticed the practically clean tables. It was time for step two. With a sign of his hand, the champagne was brought out instead of the diverse red wines that had been flowing all afternoon. He stood up once his empty glass was replaced with a new one filled with the other liquor. Media took this as their que as well.

"Before you start over with the interrogatory, I want to say a couple of things myself. I bet that by the time I'm done, some of the initial questions will be answered so, save your breath", he addressed the reporters politely and they held their tongues, notebook out and pencils sharp. "As you can see, I'm old", he said smiling. There was a collective chuckle around but then his tone became more solemn but never less warm, "I have worked all my life in order to get where I stand now and I tell ya, it ain't easy. There have been sacrifices that I've had to do along the way. I've met people who I considered my friends and in the end they let me down; people that society saw as outcasts and crazy that ended being my best friends; people that once looked down on me and ended up working for the company; I've been about to lose it all more than once; I've been witness to many miracles and I was present at the birth of a new century as well as some other fellas I see around the crowd. For most part of my life, Whitmore Industries has been all there was to me and just until recently, Whitewing Medical Services came to be part of this grand thing I consider a family.

"I will be blunt about this. The rumors are true. Yes, there is a stockholder that has helped us through the hardest times this industry has ever seen. Yes, this person came up with the idea of the WMS. No, my associate is not a blood relative of mine. Yes, I trust this person completely. For many years I have taken this young mind under my wing, the youth becoming my pupil. The only one that has stayed with me for this long and one that I'm proud to call my heir and successor", the public began to agitate and the reporters began to throw questions sensing what was about to come. Understanding finally dawning on the workers but everything became silent when the old man raised a hand to settle things. "Yes, yes, as you have suspected already, this is a farewell party. As of tomorrow, there is a new owner of Whitmore Industries. No, this person is not seated among us today due to personal reasons. No, I don't know whether the new owner would like to become a public figure or not. I hope you all learn to trust my decision as well", he referred to the workers on that last part. "So let us raise our glasses one last time and enjoy the party".

"Can't you at least give us his name Mr. Whitmore?", one of the reporters ventured. The place quietened a bit at the question.

"I'm afraid not. That's something else we have in common I guess. We both appreciate our privacy and I can assure you that should she wish to make herself known, she will". It took a scarce second for the media to analyse what the old man had just said and a new wave of questions bursted out just like the millionaire expected. Some voices were confused, some were very surprised and some even sounded angry. He smiled as he heard some of the questions.

"DID YOU SAY 'SHE'?!"

"A WOMAN IS NOW IN CHARGE!?"

"WHY?!"

"What made you take such a decision?"

"Why? Because she is the most capable woman I've ever met and, as I have said before, I trust her", he finally answered. "Believe me, there is no one I would rather entrust my industries to. She will see that the company keeps operating properly so stop worrying. I might think that you have something against women in places of power", that last comment made some people shut their mouths instantly. He had obviously hit a nerve but he didn't care… much. He was sure of what he had done. "Besides, we all need vacations and I will now take the longest trip in my life with my closest friends. Wish us luck".

It took him a little longer than expected to convince Eydís but he made her realize that she was a natural leader, not only because she was a royal by birth. Preston Whitmore would bet anything against that fact even if the girl had been raised as a commoner. She was smart and caring and, above all, she was good with strategies. Perhaps a little too quiet at times and underestimated due to the fact that she was the youngest daughter on both her families but that didn't mean she couldn't do it. She had learned from the best people possible and she had knowledge that had proved beneficial in times of crisis. What was even better, precisely because she was the youngest, she wouldn't inherit the responsibilities of either crown which left her with the time and the experience to rule something else. Yes, she was the one.

The man raised his glass and drank, the crew following suit as the reporters still demanded answers and the workers were finding it hard to swallow all the news. To the former owner, the last drop of champagne meant that the party was over to him and he excused himself once he left the glass on the table. The crew imitated him as well and they all marched up to the house in single line, amused.

It was yet another hour or so until the garden emptied. After the retired CEO made his abrupt exit, few people wanted to remain there. Therefore, they began to leave little by little. The photographers and reporters being the last ones to go. Stubbornly knocking at the garden door as well as the main door, screaming question after question with no answers whatsoever. What was even worse, apparently, the service had been thoroughly informed no to let them in and the house seemed impenetrable to all that tried the windows or the service doors. For some strange reason, they just couldn't get in and when they had tried, they felt utterly dizzy before crashing on the floor and awakening on the garden once again.

With all of them finally gone, the crew changed into more comfortable clothes and, bags on hand, they all walked to the cars waiting for them in the garage.

"I think tha' went well", Vinny said and all of the present chuckled (except for Mrs. Packard, obviously).

"Are we ready yet?", Mr. Whitmore inquired.

"Almost. We are one member short", Sweet answered.

"I am sorry for the delay. I had to change my garments and that waitress uniform is trickier than I ever thought possible", Eydís said approaching.

"Don't worry. We're on time", the millionaire replied. "There's a couple of things I would like to speak with you, I think you got a better insight on the invitees than I did".

"I know what you mean Preston. It would be my absolute pleasure".

The three cars went out of the manor in indian file, headed for the pier. Of course, they had counted on photographers lingering out of the property to try and catch a glimpse on Eydís or just of Mr. Whitmore so they took their precautions. All the while sniggering as mischevious children. Talking about the slight personnelle changes Eydís would have to do soon. It wasn't pleasant to think that she would have to fire someone but, talking with Mr. Whitmore, they agreed that they might just need to move around the company certain people so that the best choice was always in the highest points of power. Hard task.

With Eydís' help and a little spell, the three cars made it to the decks unseen and they boarded the small ship. It wasn't going to be a long journey but it certainly would be a one-way trip. The Princess got out of the car and stood on the pier watching as the people she had considered friends went on that boat. All was going to be fine, she knew. This was the best choice and they would be warmly received so they could live the rest of their elongated lives in peace. Atlantis was waiting for them away from the lingering cloud of war. They deserved it. As the boat disappeared into the night she climbed on the car once again and asked the chauffeur to take her back to the house.


	17. Enlistment

A/N: And with this I conclude the second arc. It was fun to write and for those of you interested, I will eventually start writing the third arc for which I already have a plot (fyi). Hope you all like it and see you soon.

* * *

 _"Dec. 12, 1941._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _Have you heard the news? Pearl Harbor, can you imagine? Such a tragedy I can barely believe that Japan had the guts to declare war upon America but I've made up my mind. I'll serve my country no matter what. Of course, I'll have to tell Lottie first and then quit my job at the hospital. Please, don't think of me as ungrateful. I've been very happy with the chance (I know you have helped me to get) at the WMS but this is my duty as citizen, I must do it._

 _I tell you, I don't like the idea of leaving or fighting or killing but this is the only thing I can think of to protect those I love. Imagine that the next attack is on New York or close by. Just that thought is enough to keep me up all night. You know, I also feel I owe this much to the country and to my family. I know my dad fought in the Great War back in the day. I'm aware of the possible repercussions but I know I can count on you and my family to help me overcome the effects of battle, just like we helped my dad._

 _Please, believe me when I say that this has nothing to do with Lottie's last two miscarriages. It has been awful yes and only God, you and us know how much, but I still have hope. Want to know why? because it's been progress. You have defied what other doctors foretold and have proven to everyone that it is possible for us to have kids. Lottie is becoming fertile and I want my future children to be proud of their daddy just as much as I'm proud of mine. This's a great chance to prove myself._

 _I beg you not to try and dissuade me, I must admit that I'm quite nervous as it is. Please, help me with Lottie, something inside me tells me that she won't let me go that easily. I pray she understands in time. Could you help me out?_

 _Love,_

 _Sammy"._

 _-o-_

" _December 13th, 1941._

 _My dear Sammy,_

 _I understand. I might not fully agree or like the idea but I understand. I wish you all the luck in the world my boy. Anything you might need, I am here, you just need to ask._

 _Yours faithfully,_

 _Nisse."_

 _-o-_

" _Dec. 21, 1941._

 _Dear Nisse,_

 _I've been accepted in the army."_


End file.
